


Gemini

by beautiful_as_endless



Series: The Life and Times of Team Hijo de Puta [6]
Category: Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-15 08:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 40,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7214215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautiful_as_endless/pseuds/beautiful_as_endless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They barely knew each other in the past, but they both lost brothers - both in blood and not. There they were though, brought together as siblings in the present, forming an unexpected brotherhood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Under a Paper Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian fails to resist his impulse. Nonong meets someone in the emergency room.

_To Julio's twelve year old mind, Margarita was like the sun. Her smile was so bright that it should be blinding. He supposed her brilliant disposition was what drew him to the girl from the marketplace, the girl who always had flowers in her hair. She was the butcher's youngest child and only daughter, and even as a child, her smile already drew gazes._

_Despite the gloomy air that he had around him, she seemed to put up with him, which he supposed was a good thing._

_"Hindi pa ba nagtataka ang mga magulang mo?" she asked one day as they met under the shade of an acacia tree. "Lagi mo na lamang akong kasama."_

_"Hindi sila magtataka dahil hindi naman nila alam," he admitted. "Kadalasan naman silang wala dito sa bayan."_

_"Huwag kang mag-alala," she crooned, brushing stray locks of hair away from his face. "Nandito lamang ako."_

**Sunday, 03-13-16, 9:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julian had barely settled on his favorite spot in the living room and started loading up parkour videos on his phone when it suddenly began to ring. A small frown creased his face when he saw Goyong's number, wondering if something was wrong. As far as he could remember, Goyong and Jay were in Aurora Aragon's dorm for the night.

"Hello? Julian to," he began.

"Kuya Julian?" It was Jay. She didn't sound shaken, which was a good thing - if it weren't for the fact that nothing ever terrified her. "Buti nalang at may sumagot."

"May problema ba?" he asked, sitting up straight. Some of the team weren't at home, off on some date or another, and the rest might not have been paying attention to their phones.

Jay paused, as if gathering her thoughts. "Naaksidente kasi si Aurora. Nanlambot kasi nung, um, nademonstrate ng magaling kong boyfriend yung paghilom ng mga sugat niya. Ayun, nahulog sa hagdan ng dorm nung bibili sana ng tubig sa 7-11 sa lipat daan."

"Ayos lang ba siya? Nasa may dorm pa ba kayo?" Julian still had no car after leaving the other one as a total wreck back in Bulacan. Manuel and Julio were at home though, so he could maybe hitch a ride with them if needed.

There was a scuffling sound, and Goyong cleared his throat on the other line. "Nasa loob pa kami ng dorm," he confirmed. "Papatulong sana kaming dalhin siya sa ospital. Ayos lang siya, pero parang napilay eh."

Julian noted that those kinds of injuries were nasty. He promised to get help in the next fifteen minutes and ended the call. Getting to his feet, he marched upstairs to the room he shared with Goyong, Nonong, Paco, and Julio.

Julio was sitting by the window, doodling something on his notebook while giving miffed looks at the small potted cactus on the desk. He looked up as his twin stepped in though, and set down his work. "Napano ka, bakit ganyan itsura mo?"

Julian shrugged. "Pwede ko bang hiramin yung sasakyan mo? May emergency ata sina Goyong at Jay."

Julio stared at him flatly. "Ano, tapos wawasakin mo din gaya ng pagkawasak ng puso ko?"

"Gago, kelan ka pa naging heartbroken?" Julian snorted as he closed the door behind him with a roll of his eyes. Neither twin ever went farther than asking a girl out on a date because everyone got scared off by their sisters and even their elder brother.

"Araw araw." Julio winced and shook his head. He stood up and fished out his car key from his pocket. "Tara, ako na ngang magmamaneho."

**Sunday, 03-13-16, 9:15 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

"Hindi ko naman kasi alam bakit binigla ako ni tatay," Aurora wailed as they drove to the hospital. She was reclining on the shotgun seat, making sure not to look at her possibly sprained ankle. "Ok na sa akin na siya yung original Gregorio del Pilar eh! Bakit kailangan pa niyang i-demo yung powers niya?"

Julian had to suppress a chuckle but refrained from it. Being wedged at the backseat of the car with Goyong and Jay made it difficult to move, after all. He glanced at Goyong instead, channeling the way he used to fuss on the boy general. "Confidently reckless with a heart talaga yan."

Jay snorted at that. She flicked her hand, procuring one of the small knives that she usually hid in her jacket sleeves. She fiddled with it for a bit before turning to Julian. "Confidently reckless talaga," she agreed.

"Pinagtutulungan niyo ako eh," wailed Goyong, looking away.

"Kuya Julio hinay hinay ka naman sa pagmamaneho!" Aurora said, gripping her seatbelt, her face going white. "Ang bilis mo!"

Julio sighed. "Sobrang bagal na nga ako sa lagay na to para hindi maalog yang binti mo eh."

Jay leaned forward, a little concerned. "Kuya, may konting nerbyos siya sa mga private vehicles eh."

Julian stared at the girl in sudden understanding. _Aurora Aragon - as in si Aurora Aragon-Quezon?_ Judging from what he read about her death, she died during an ambush... while riding a private vehicle. He supposed that they carried more than just memories from their past lives. After all, he still feared total darkness.

They eventually reached the hospital, where Julio and Goyong helped Aurora hop to the emergency room. Julian leaned against the car door, wondering if he should at least get something to eat. His stomach rumbled forlornly despite the fact that he just ate dinner two hours ago.

Jay leaned against the backrest, breathing heavily. "Mukhang gutom ka na ah," she told him with a tired laugh. "Sige, kuya, kain ka muna. Ayos lang naman ako dito."

"Baka patayin ako ni Goyong pag pinabayaan kitang magisa diyan," he pointed out.

Jay snorted, displaying her knives. "Ayos lang ako dito, gumora ka na."

Julian nodded and made his way to the Jollibee outlet across the narrow street from the emergency room entrance. It was still quite crowded and lovely, which he didn't mind - it actually made him feel quite comfortable.

**Sunday, 03-13-16, 9:30 PM, Jollibee AUF**

He barely finished ordering a quick snack when he spotted a particular someone with purple hair standing nearby, watching him with amused eyes. He gave the cashier the exact payment and sauntered over to Tina del Rosario, who was clutching an identical cup of chocolate sundae, grinning.

"So, palagi nalang ba tayong nagkikita sa may ospital?" she began as if their meeting was totally planned.

"At least hindi sa burol, ano?" he told her, smiling back.

She shook her head with a laugh. "Wag ako, Hulyano."

Those words sent a sudden rush of melancholy and nostalgia and regret welling up from his gut and spilling through the rest of his being. He still wondered if things were different, had he stayed with her in the past instead of following the rest of Goyong's final requests.

_Umuwi ka na ng Bulacan. Pakasalan mo na si Ate Tina. Siguradihin mong ligtas si Nena Rusca. Hanapin mo ang huling hantungan ni Kuya Manuel._

He swallowed down the onslaught of what-ifs that threatened to engulf him. _What is done is done is done_. They were there again, they couldn't do anything about the past, and the best thing to do was write the future. Either way, he would never regret helping what remained of Rusca's family.

"Ay, tulala ka diyan ah," Tina told him, waving a hand right in front of his face and almost hitting him on the nose. "May dumi ba sa mukha ko, ha?"

"W-wala naman." He started to eat his sundae, hoping that the heat in his cheeks weren't coming from a boyish blush or another. How does one even deal with crushes? He was pretty sure that he had one - despite the fact that he was too old for it.

"So ano nga bang ginagawa mo dito?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, pointing nonchalantly at the emergency room. "Kilala mo si Au, diba? Yung batang kasama natin sa Baguio?"

"Si Aurora?" She nodded sagely as she pointed at one of the seats. "Napano?"

He told her the gist of the accident, not telling her exactly what made Aurora queasy in the first place. She probably had no idea about Goyong's predicament, after all. Seeing the curious look on her face sent him spiralling down yet another wave of nostalgia. It was so difficult to fight back.

At least she didn't question his story. She checked her watch and scuffed the tiled floor with a black sneaker before she looked up at him. "Sige, mauuna na ako ah?" she said suddenly. "Susunduin ko pa sa Dau si Papa."

"Sasamahan na sana kita-" he began, reaching out for her.

"Gago, kaya ko naman yung sarili ko," she argued with a coquettish grin. She pointed to the escrima case slung across her back - the case that actually contained a pair of legitimate, lethal swords. She patted his cheek with a chuckle. "Wag kang magalala, Hulyano."

 _Hulyano_. Some things truly never changed.

"Well, um, at least magiingat ka, ha?" he stammered. The broken, dead colonel in him reared his ugly head at that moment. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Ikaw din. _Murit_." _Baliw_. A smile crooked up a corner of her lips. She pinched his cheek and turned away.

He stood there, watching her retreating form, mesmerized by the way her violet hair glinted in the fluorescent lighting and the sway of her hips.

**Bonus**

**Sunday, 03-13-16, 10:00 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

Nonong checked his watch. He just had thirty minutes left before he finished his shift - and the last day of emergency room duty for the rest of the month. He was so exhausted after helping out in three deliveries since that afternoon and was eager to get his much deserved sleep. Finals were starting the next day and he had no energy to review anymore.

Just when things were winding down, they had to wheel _her_ in.

Aurora Aragon was slumped on a wheelchair, wincing as another student nurse poked and prodded at her foot. Nonong could see two people peering at her from the emergency room door - were those the twins? - with concerned eyes.

"Quizon, ikaw nang bahala sakanya," Isabel Luna announced.

Well, there was no disputing the head nurse. Pushing down the guilt and excitement that fluttered together in his gut, he smoothed his scrubs and sauntered toward her, a clipboard in hand. "Hi, my name is Manuel, I'll be your forever - este, nurse for today."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short intro lang, promise at mas mahaba ang next chapter.


	2. The Ghost of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian gets a new ride. Julio faces the past bit by bit.

**Bonus**

**Sunday, 03-13-16, 10:15 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

Aurora's cussing filled his ears as he wheeled her to one of the spare beds so they could have a better look at her foot. One of the older nurses was reading her x-ray results with another nurse, mentioning that they would have to set the foot before securing it with bandages. It was painful business but they had to do what needed to be done.

"Tangina mo, Nonong," she growled at him.

He clucked his tongue as he gently poked and prodded at her foot. "Namamaga ng unti ito ah," he noted with more concern than he usually offered his patients. "Gusto mo ba ng ice pack habang hinihintay natin si doc?"

She fidgeted and fussed, giving him that death glare that she reserved for him since the trip to Baguio. "Tigilan mo nga ako!" she snarled as he sat down beside her, arms crossed. "Hindi ko kailangan ng ice pack."

"Wag kang malikot, baka lalong lumala yang paa mo," he pointed out.

"Shit ka, anong alam mo?" she argued. It was always like that since they met again in the present, nothing but constant bickering.

"Trainee nurse ako," he pointed out a little flatly. "Dapat talaga na alam ko yung ginagawa ko."

She launched into a torrent of angry expletives directed at him. He looked around, noting that the doctors kept shooting her some wary glances. Everyone was exhausted from their shift, after all, and some of the nurses were definitely unhappy about dealing with fussy patients.

He smiled as they looked away, leaned forward, and kissed Aurora.

"Walang hiya--" She cut off mid sentence, eyes wide. She couldn't even say anything when she pulled away.

She didn't fuss, she even didn't complain when the doctors finally set her foot and bandaged it.

* * *

_Julio noted that Margarita had bloomed into womanhood once they both turned sixteen. She was growing lovelier and lovelier, the longer that he gazed at her. Their meetings have become more and more brief as he began his studies, and he had to relish every minute he could have with her._

_"Marami nang sinasabi ang mga tao sa bayan," she mused one day, as they sat on a plaza bench. "May mga bulong na mag-irog tayo."_

_"At anong sinabi mo?" he asked, looking up at the musical notes that he had been pondering on. There was a song somewhere in all of this, but it was all so fuzzy in his head._

_She smiled at him, eyes sparkling. "Wala, tumahimik na lamang ako. Alam naman natin ang totoo."_

_"Ang totoo?" A small smile lit up his face as he could hear the sweet notes of a budding song beginning to play at the corners of his suddenly iridescent thoughts. "Eh paano kung iniibig nga kita?"_

_Her smile froze as she turned to stare at him with piercing eyes. "Huwag kang magbiro ng ganyan."_

_"Hindi naman ako nagbibiro," he admitted._

_A loud voice calling out for Margarita broke through their conversation. She leapt from the bench and gave him an apologetic smile. "Ipagpaumanhin mo, Julio, hinahanap na ako ng ina ko."_

_He watched her walk away, wondering if he was too reckless, too foolish._

**Monday, 03-14-16, 4:45 PM, Brgy. San Nicolas**

Julian was pleased that he was able to get out of work on the print shop on time, for once in his life. He was starting to seriously feel so burned out that meeting Etong's mechanic girlfriend seemed more exciting than the humdrum days of designing posters and banners.

His eldest sister, Maria, finally sent over the savings he's been stashing from his first job so that he could finally get his car replaced, and Etong offered to help him out. Now it was just a matter of locating where the mechanic girlfriend, Clara, lived. He hated the fact that he had some problems with his sense of direction, and it was so easy to get lost in the bustling commercial area.

He should have accepted Rusca's offer to wait for him, since the latter was going to check the repairs being done on his car.

The events of the previous day kept replaying in his head, sending childish flutters in his stomach. He felt like he was fourteen again, not twenty four.

He eventually found Clara's workshop, where a couple of old, but brilliantly painted red Toyota Corollas were parked. Rusca and Etong were standing nearby, sipping from glasses of iced tea, while talking to a woman who was most probably Clara.

Julian did recognize Clara Siapit's androgynous features from his past life in Bulacan, though the present Clara was surprisingly different. She was still tall and sturdily built, though her hair was now shoulderlength and dyed a bright green. She was also sporting an undercut, which went against her prim and proper persona from the past.

"Kaya sa susunod magingat ka para di ka mabanga-" She trailed off and turned as he approached, and her eyes seemed to widen in faint recognition. A faint redness tinged her cheeks as she took him in. "Hello."

"Julian," Rusca began with a fainly supressed sincker. "Naligaw ka ata."

He nodded with a wry grin. "Alam niyo namang mas madali pa akong maligaw sa pusa."

"Wala ka naman sigurong iniwan na total wreck o sunog sa dinaanan mo, ano?" Etong asked cheekily.

"Anacleto Enriquez, pakyu ka talaga," Clara told him with a laugh.

"Fuck me, you say?" Etong raised an eyebrow.

"Hoyst, may mga bata," Clara said with a chuckle. She turned back to Julian with a bright green. "So ikaw yung naghahanap ng secondhand na sasakyan? Total wreck daw yung dati, sabi sakin ni Etong."

Julian nodded, eliciting another chuckle from her. "Oo, last year pa, sa Bulacan."

"Bulacan roots din, ayba." Clara beamed at him and turned to the entrance to the main part of her workshop. "Tara, pakita ko yung pinapabenta sa akin. Sakto, kakatapos ko lang ayusin."

**Monday, 03-14-16, 7:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

"Green at black? Seryoso? Ben10 ba yung peg mo?" Julio asked as he surveyed his brother's car.

"Corolla '92 box type, 12 valve engine..." Julian rattled off.

"You ass, I don't know car speak," groaned Julio. He crossed his arms and leaned against one of the garage posts. "Pero bro, kulay Ben10 talaga yan."

"Tangina bro, walang ganyanan." Julian was clearly miffed, but then again, who wasn't miffed whenever he bickered with his twin?

"Sasabihin na walang ganyanan tapos mas malala pa pala yung gagawin sakin." Julio shrugged, fighting off the ridiculous grin that was threatening to quirk up his face. "So at least hindi ko na kailangang maging chaperone mo."

"Alam ko namang sawa ka na sa kakareklamo ko kasi ambagal mong magmaneho," Julian agreed. He made his way to the back door of the house, smoothing his hair.

Julio couldn't help but grin. It was so odd, going from an only child in his past life to being born into a family with five siblings - especially when one of these siblings happened to be his twin.

Despite their constant bickering, they've provided each other with constant support. Julio remembered Julian screaming in the middle of the night when they were ten years old, sobbing with his Hekasi book on his lap, babbling about the war and a dead brother and an abandoned wife. Julio was there to assure him, and Julian returned the favor when his past hit him in the middle of his piano lessons just two weeks later. He couldn't have made it to his adulthood sane and whole without Julian.

It was quite different from the brotherhood he shared with Andres in the past, but he didn't mind. He found that he was happy with his new family, no matter how problematic it had been since their parents got separated.

_Parang mas masaya naman kasi si Julio del Pilar kaysa kay Julio Nakpil. Hindi lang halata._

**Tuesday, 03-15-16, 5:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Julio had no idea how he ended up in Margarita's flower shop. He actually spaced out on the drive home, having been distracted by some train of thought or another, and the next thing he knew was that he was parked right beside the shop.

Seeing the entrance was enough for him to start internally slapping himself. He would have driven off, but he saw Margarita standing by the entrance, cradling a pot containing a small cluster of daisies. _Bloody memories_ be damned, he was no coward.

He killed the engine and stepped out of the car, putting on his usual airheaded smile. It was better to play his part as someone who wasn't all there, than let people know that he was more aware of his surroundings than they expected.

"Uh, hi," he began, affecting an absentminded, gloomy tone.

"Hi, future husband," Margarita said cheerily.

As always, her statements took him off guard. "Ha?"

"Ang cute mo talaga pag nagugulat ka," she said with a loud peal of laughter. She threw back her electric blue hair and leaned forward. "So, anong meron? Buhay pa ba yung cactus na binigay ko sayo?"

"Mas buhay pa kaysa sa puso kong matagal nang patay," he muttered. _At malapit na atang maging patay na patay ulit sayo._

 _"Bolang." Gago_. She smiled and set down the pot on one of her shelves and turned to him. "Ano to, wedding proposal na ba? Kasi ready na ako."

He blinked, his brain refusing to process her quirky remarks. "Uh," he looked down, scuffing his foot on the cobblestone sidewalk. "Napadaan lang ako para, uh, mangamusta."

"Mangamusta, right," she said with a roll of her eyes. She stepped aside, as if inviting him in. "Pinsan mo si Goyong, diba? Siguro namatay yung mga stargazers na binili niya? O yung mga roses?"

"Ha? Hindi naman." Julio was actually surprised by the fact that the boy general seemed to have quite the green thumb, despite his bloody history. "Napadaan lang ako, promise."

She pouted. "So magsasara na niyan ako maya maya kasi maghapon na akong nandito at hindi pumunta yung mga pinsan kong kahalili. Gusto mo bang sabay na tayong magdinner?"

"Okay lang naman sakin," he agreed. "May sasakyan ako, kahit saan mo gustong kumain ayos lang naman sakin."

"Kahit sa buwan pa?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Dude, ano?" He stared at her as she started to fit a stack of folders into her desk drawer.

She looked up and smiled at him. "Natutuwa talaga ako pag naflufluster ka, alam mo ba yun?"

He shrugged. "Hindi."

It was going to be a long evening.

**Tuesday, 03-15-16, 6:45 PM, Greenwich Nepo Mall**

The mall was quite crowded, but Julio didn't mind it at all. He actually loved crowds as much as his brother did. Julian said that it was probably easy for him to get lost in his eclectic train of thoughts and bump into random people, but the reality was that being surrounded by people helped him concentrate.

He could barely nibble his food, the mere thought of actually eating a meal with Margarita, of all people, sending odd jolts of sorrow and glee in his system. He wasn't the Julio from the old days, and neither was she Margarita from the marketplace. Things were so different and yet she still had that maddening pull on him.

"Ang tahimik mo," she pointed out with a pout after some point. "Minumulto ka ba?"

"Minumulto ako ng nakaraan," he blurted out. He stopped himself from adding more and winced.

 _"Bolang." Gago_. She snorted and turned back to her food.

 _"Mas masanting nang bolang ku kesa naman keng murit." Mas maganda nang gago ako kaysa naman sa baliw_. He shrugged and continued staring at her, chewing on his soda straw.

"Malulusaw ako sa kakatitig mo eh," she argued after a while. "Dapat ikaw ang nilulusaw ko sa kama."

He opened his mouth, about to respond with his own jesting, when he felt something cold prickle the back of his neck. He could feel her staring at him when he suddenly started looking around, wondering why he felt uncomfortable.

That was when he saw him.

His haircut was the same, outdated, clean, militaristic and flat. He was at the prime of his youth, dressed in a plain white shirt and fatigue cargo pants. He was standing by the cashier, murmuring his order, but his eyes were elsewhere. His creepily bloodshot eyes were staring right at him.

Julio tried to blink rapidly, as if those childish attempts could erase the scene laid out in front of him. It didn't work and only agitated him even more.

Rage - old, suppressed, fiery rage threatened to engulf Julio, feeling old grievances resurfacing. Despite his attempts to deflect his issues with his past, it seemed like they still threatened to haunt him over and over again. Memories of Andoy's murder - it was  _never_ an execution to him - struck him, white hot and angry. He could remember Oryang's anguish when the news finally reached them, remember his own pain and grief and thirst for true justice.

_Kahit papaano akong magpumilit, hindi pa tuluyang namatay si Julio Nakpil noong naisilang si Julio del Pilar._

Goyong had confirmed that Emilio Aguinaldo had most definitely died and never reincarnated, and everyone took his word for it. This must mean that Julio was watching the first president's doppleganger - the fourth and last doppleganger, if Selong del Pilar's cryptic messages were to be believed.

He wasn't able to breathe easily until he and Margarita were in the safety of his car.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope, hindi to cliffhanger, promise.


	3. Brick by Boring Brick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins discover something. Jay makes a decision.

_"Nandiyan ka nananaman? Malandi ka talagang bata ka!"_

_Julio cringed as Margarita's mother marched toward them, her dark eyes flashing at her terrified daughter. He leapt to his feet and stood in front of his friend, wondering if he could do anything to defend her._

_"Hindi ba't sinabi ko sa iyong lumayo ka sa anak ng mga Nakpil? Baka kung ano pang isipin ng mga tao," Margarita's mother growled, completely ignoring the boy standing in front of her._

_"Ipagpaumanhin niyo po, Ginang, ngunit kaibigan ko po ang anak niyo," Julio said in a surprisingly calm and steady voice. "Hindi po siya kagaya ng iniisip niyo."_

_His words were staunchly ignored. Margarita's mother grabbed her daughter by the hair and began to pull her away, uttering a nonstop stream of profanities. Julio was about to go after them but Margarita shook her head as much as she could in an attempt to stop him._

**Tuesday, 03-15-16, 7:00 PM, Sta. Cruz, Porac**

He stopped right outside a small, cozy house with brightly paint yellow walls. A bustle of activity could be seen from the windows, and loud, happy voices audible even through his car. Though they were probably far away from Aguinaldo's doppleganger already, he still couldn't help but feel shaken and on edge. He glanced at Margarita, who stared back.

"Kanina ka pa tense," she noted worriedly. "May problema ka ba sa akin?"

"Wala naman, may nakita lang akong dating, uh, kakilala. Medyo bad blood kasi eh." He shuddered at the memory of the doppleganger's bloodshot eyes. The rage that welled up at the sight of Aguinaldo had given away to old pain and fear and worry.

He leaned back and closed his eyes, fighting back his memories of the first president, of Andoy's murder, of Oryang's tears.

"Nanginginig ka," Margarita murmured. "Sigurado kang walang problema?"

He blinked, and realized that he was shaking all over. His fists were clenched tightly on his lap, trembling with every unsteady breath he took. "May hindi magandang nangyari sa amin nung nakita ko sa mall."

"Ex mo ba yan?" she asked quizzically.

He shook his head with a small wince. "Dating... kaibigan ko. Napahamak yung best friend ko noon dahil sakanya." That was as close as he can get to telling her the full truth.

She bit her lip and brushed her fingers across his cheek. "Mukhang harsh yung nangyari," she murmured. "Kaya mo pa bang umuwi sa lagay mo?"

He nodded. He had to let the others know about the doppleganger's identity. "Kayang kaya ko." He couldn't even hide behind his absentminded persona - he was too agitated and upset for that.

Marge nodded. Concern was still etched on her face as she unlocked the car door on her side and prepared to get out. She hesitated before leaning forward to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Sige, future husband, mag-iingat ka ha? Dapat buhay ka pa sa kasal natin."

"Paano ako aabot ng buhay sa kasal kung patay na patay na ata ako?" he muttered quickly.

"Yan, dapat ganyan," she said. She patted his cheek and hopped out of the car. "Ingat ka!"

"Ikaw din," he murmured. He gave her a small wave and drove away, struggling to keep his focus despite the distractions that the last hour had given him.

**Tuesday, 03-15-16, 9:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He finally managed to gather everyone at home for a quick meeting after dinnertime. In such a large household, gathering everyone was quite a challenge. Now that the Garcias had joined them, it was doubly harder.

Everyone was gathered in the living room, watching him curiously while Jose muttered a quick briefing to Tatang Garcia - who was apparently a lieutenant from Luna's army in the past. He fought against the urge to fidget - it wouldn't do him any good. He stood up straight instead and put his hand behind his back, letting all pretense of ditziness drop.

He felt like he was going to explode in agitation and start rambling about his anger for Aguinaldo, but he bit his tongue. Focus. He began to tell them about the doppleganger that he saw instead, explaining who he saw and dwelling on the bloodshot eyes that could only be inhuman. He was surprised to realize that he sounded so calm, so devoid of emotion. It was something that he hadn't been able to pull off since Andres' murder.

His story was followed by silence. He was surprised to realize that everyone - except his brother - were staring at him with stunned faces. "Alam kong nakakagulat," he admitted. "Hindi ko din naman alam na makikita ko pa ulit yung mukhang yun."

"Seryoso nga siya," Rusca whispered loudly, eyes wide in surprise. "Walang hugot, walang biro."

"Sa tingin niyo ba naging heneral ako sa Katipunan dahil pogi ako? Hindi." A small smile flitted on his face, quickly melting away thanks to the anxiety that he had been feeling over the matter.

"Yung masaklap diyan eh yung sigurado tayong anino yan," lamented Goyong. His hand flew to his chest, rubbing the stitches that he recieved during some near death experience or another. "Hindi naisilang muli ang presidente."

Julio nodded. "Namukhaan din ata niya ako kasi grabe siya kung makatitig sa akin."

"Either namukhaan ka, or ibang del Pilar pala yung hinahanap niya at napagkamalan ka lang dahil magkakahawig kayo," Paco noted. He set down the essays that he was checking with a small frown. "Kilala niya kayong tatlo dati. Pero since anino itong pinaguusapan natin..."

"Siguradong si Dolores ang may kagagawan at baka ginagamit siya para hanapin si Goyong, ganern," Cat said brightly. "Uh, tama ba?"

"Mismo." Nonong glared at his schoolbook, as if he was blaming his exams for the next wave of supernatural horrors that might be awaiting the team. "Pero ayun nga, pwede ding hindi. Kuya, diba si Dolores yung nanloob sa apartment niyo noon?"

"Siya nga yun." Julio could still remember that day. Their apartment had looked like someone had set a hurricane upon it. He closed his eyes, massaging his forehead. "Guilty by association kami sa mata niya dahil magkakaibigan tayo at del Pilar din kami."

He could feel goosebumps trailing along his arm. The mere fact that they were facing a more malevolent version of a man he sorely hated did not sit well with him. He was sorely tempted to haul himself out of the house and roam the streets of Angeles until he found the doppleganger and got rid of it.

It was a stupid idea, he knew. The dopplegangers are reportedly tougher than the team combined and they might even have some tricks up their sleeve courtesy of Dolores. But then again, he had the urge to vent out his rage on Aguinaldo's near perfect mirror copy.

_Medyo asshole nga si Andoy, pero kaibigan ko parin siya, tangina naman._

**Wednesday, 03-16-16, 10:00 AM, Adworks**

It was quite a hectic day. Julian had been spending quite some time quietly discussing some poster designs with his brother and one of the print shop clients. It was the first time that he had been left alone to do his work that day, and the humdrum routine that he was falling into was starting to feel dull. He wanted some action, some excitement, instead of just sitting around and doodling.

It didn't help either that being left to his own devices meant that he could dwell on a new doppleganger's existence. If he remembered correctly, there were now two that were still confirmed to exist - Goyong's doppleganger who caused that car accident that wrecked Rusca's car, and now Aguinaldo's. He had always been quite neutral regarding the president, despite the fact that a number of unsavory events were reportedly linked to his name.

Still, they were facing a doppleganger - a potential danger to their existence. Facing a supernatural being such as it sounded like a thrilling prospective, and he hoped that he would have a chance to face the creature.

"Alam kong iniisip mong thrilling kung haharapin mo yung - yung anino," Julio muttered as he turned from his computer chair to face his brother. "Madaming mga bagay na mas thrilling kaysa sa lovelife na wawasak sa puso mo pero bro, narinig mo na yung kwento nila tungkol sa ibang mga anino, diba?"

"Alam ko yun," Julian admitted. "Kaya nga nakakaexcite."

It wasn't that he loved getting hurt. but he loved the thrill and excitement that adventurous acts took him too. He wondered if that was what spurred him to look for Nena Rusca's new home and Manuel Bernal's grave all those years ago despite the fact that he was past his prime.

"Gago ka talaga." Julio seemed resigned though. "Pero hindi lang ikaw ang gustong makipagupakan doon sa aninong yun."

"Alam ko." Julian turned back to his work, changing the color swatches that he had been experimenting on. "Wonder twins naman tayo, bro, malay mo kailangan talaga nating pagtulungan yun."

"Narinig niyo na ba yung balita?" One of the girls from the reception area sauntered over to their spot, a cup of coffee in hand. "May nakidnap daw sa may palengke kagabi."

"Nakidnap?" Julian's ears pricked up at those words. "Pano niyo nasabing nakidnap?"

The girl shrugged and sipped her coffee nonchalantly. "May nakakita daw sakanya kagabi - mga alas siete daw? Kinaladkad daw ng lalake. Hindi nila namukhaan yung tao eh, parang iba iba yung naaalala nilang itsura."

_Iba iba yung itsurang naaalala nila? Dala ba to ng kulam ni Dolores?_

Julian raised an eyebrow. _"Pota naman mipate lamu ning tawu na." Baka naman nagaway lang sila ng boyfriend niya._

Julio nodded sagely. "Alam mo naman yung mga ibang mga tao, assholes sa mga labidabs nila."

"Labidabs pa ba yung tawag sa ganun?" The girl winced and turned away. "Hindi man daw kilala ng kahit sino doon yun, at isa sa mga witness yung boyfriend eh. Ang weird, ano? Hindi parin daw umuuwi hanggang ngayon at hindi rin sumasagot sa mga tawag. Pati sa mga text."

The twins turned to each other as the girl walked away, nigh identical looks of horror and speculation on their faces. It seemed like they were thinking along the same lines.

"Tingin mo si Dolores yung may kagagawan?" Julio asked.

Julian nodded slowly. "Baka ginamitan ng powers niya kaya hindi pareho yung itsurang naaalala ng mga witness doon."

Julio's gaze darkened. "Baka anino yung ginamit para manguha ano? Pero para saan kaya? Bakit babae?"

"Hindi pa natin alam." Julian pursed his lips, though his mind was playing with endless possibilities already. "Pero dapat malaman ng tropa ito."

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 03-16-16, 2:00 AM, Tea-rad Pass**

Jay didn't mind manning the counter that day, though she definitely wasn't feeling well. As a matter of fact, she felt like she might pass out from the pain in her chest at any moment, but she still made sure to greet approaching customers with a cheery smile.

She kept her voice steady despite the steady constricting pain that restricted her breaths, focusing on her work and making sure everyone was happy. Nena was sitting on one of the bar chairs that day, sipping her iced mocha while reviewing some handmade letters that her preschool class gave her as a gift.

"Ang saya sigurong maging teacher kapag ganyan kalambing yung mga estudyante, ano?" Jay found herself noting.

Nena nodded proudly. "Oo, pangatlong taon ko nang magturo ito pero sila talaga yung best class ko."

"Siyempre, ayaw nilang mabadtrip yung hot teacher nila," Jay pointed out with a grin, earning a snort from Goyong on the other side of the workstation. "Baka daw masira ang beauty."

"Bolera ka talaga," Nena said with a smile, thwacking her arm with a pencil. "At kelan pa ako naging hot?"

"Shhh, hot ka, wag ka nang manlaban." Jay laughed and leaned forward. "Ate, hindi ka ba natatakot na baka targetin ka rin ni Dolores dahil close ka kay Kuya Ed at sa tropa?"

Nena's lips curled up to form a crooked grin and shook her head. "Alam mo, masyadong mahilig sa intimidation factor si Dolores pero mukhang takot siya sa atin. Tignan mo, kailangan pa niya ng cronies para gawin yung mga dapat niyang gawin."

Jay had to admit that she had a point. She rubbed her chest as a sharp stabbing pain began to make itself known. _Pananakot lang ba itong sumpang ito? Sana nga. Sana. Ayokong mamatay dahil lang dito, tangina mo, Dolores._

She had to keep her hope up. She knew that she was paying for her recklesness with this curse, but she hoped that she wouldn't have to lose her life over it too. Either way, she won't let Dolores get Goyong. She would have to break her curse herself, or live through it. She was sure that the witch would never honor their agreement and would let Jay die even if she got her hands on the boy general - and she definitely wouldn't stop at that. She might end up harming Goyong and the rest of the team.

 


	4. Yugto

_Julio watched Margarita as she flounced through the marketplace, clutching a basket of flowers with her. He hadn't been able to talk to her since that encounter with her mother. She seemed to be avoiding him, though frequently snuck glances whenever he was in the vicinity._

_"Akala ng kanyang ina ay may itinatago kayong pagiibigan ng anak niya," one of the local gossipers whispered in his ear. "Alam niyang hindi papayag ang iyong mga magulang at gagawa lamang sila ng karagdagang problema para sa inyo."_

_"Pagiibigan po?" Julio feigned a polite smile. "Hindi na po ba kami pwedeng maging magkaibigan nang hindi napagiisipan ng ganito?"_

_The gossipers exchanged quizzical smiles, as if knowing the actual feelings he had at the corners of his mind and the shadows of his heart._

**Wednesday, 03-16-16, 5:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

The moment that he finally reached home, Julio immediately set to work on his laptop, searching more about the kidnapping case that he heard about earlier that day. He wasn't sure why he decided to involve himself in it, as they weren't exactly sure if Aguinaldo's doppleganger was the culprit. As of the moment, he and Julian were only working on mere speculations.

_Better safe than sorry nga naman, sabi nila._

It was surprisingly quiet in the house that day. The only other people around were Goyong, who was snoozing on the dining table, and Julian who was busy taking a shower upstairs.

Julio didn't mind the silence for once. He actually appreciated the fact that he could hear the jumble of buzzing thoughts in his head much better. He was able to pull up a local report that contained a grainy picture of the missing girl following a man with hazy feature - hazy, except for the distinctive haircut that Julio and the rest of the team would be very familiar with.

He bit his tongue, stopping himself from cussing. He paused to bookmark the page and save the image, then tried to search for a clearer picture of the kidnapping. It seemed like all news sites used the same grainy image though, so they would only have that to work with.

The mere thought of Aguinaldo's doppleganger kidnapping a teenage girl was enough to make him feel jumpy and inexplicably angrier, though. He shut down his laptop and leaned back on the sofa chair, playing with speculation upon speculation.

He heard loud footsteps from the wooden stairs, letting him know that his twin was already making his way downstairs. Julian never did have the propensity for sneaking around and employing stealth, after all. It was probably something connected to his daredevil nature.

"Bro, mukhang confirmed na yung hinala natin," Julio called out, feigning an absentminded tone. "Sa tutal, ganyan naman palagi, diba? Kapag may hinala ka, siguradong may kasalanan siya."

Julian snorted. "Ayan nanaman tayo sa hugot eh."

**Wednesday, 03-16-16, 9:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

The team held a meeting that night to discuss the kidnapping incident. Julio fidgeted at the amount of attention that he was getting from the team, though he was more worked up thanks to his thoughts of the doppleganger and the missing girl.

They were merely going on with speculations at that point, as there didn't even seem to be any point behind the kidnapping. The murders could have been done as an intimidation tactic - and as a means of communication. The kidnapping seemed too random, too out of the blue.

"Pero di naman ako detective," he said with a nervous laugh. "At wala din naman akong alam sa supernatural puwera sa kung anong alam ninyo."

"Halos pareho lang naman yung knowledge natin sa mga ganito," mused Paco. He glanced at Cat who was seated between him and Jose, blinked, and snapped his fingers. "Pero may kilala tayo na mas madaming alam tungkol sa supernatural at mga occult na bagay."

"Si Bugallon," agreed Joven. "Diba may kinalaman nga sa local folklore at witchcraft ang expertise niya?"

Cat nodded, eyes widening. "Tungkol din doon yung thesis niya," she agreed. "Gusto niyo ba siyang kausapin bukas?"

Julio's mind was alight again, filling him with ideas both wild and not. Nothing seemed to click into place, but that was the way he always was whenever he got too worked up.

"Magandang idea yan," Julian agreed. He turned to his brother. "Tayo na sigurong magiinterview sakanya, ano?"

Julio nodded. "Game ako diyan."

The Enriquez brothers exchanged excited glances. "Since busy si Nonong sa exams, kami na din yung bahalang maghalungkat sa police database," offered Etong. "Baka mabigyan pa tayo ng mas magandang idea tungkol sa mga ginagawa ng aninong ito."

That sounded like the best plan for the moment.

**Thursday, 03-16-16, 4:30 PM, Museo Ning Angeles**

Three of them made their way to the museum that day -  the twins and Paco. It was a pleasantly warm afternoon, the cloudy sky showing a mottled shade of gold and pink in between stormy grays. Julio stared at the sky, wondering if the warmth would segue into rain that night.

The museum was nearing its closing hours so only a few visitors milled around. No one gave them a second glance as they headed for the office, which was good enough for Julio. The last thing they wanted was to raise unwanted questions.

Bugallon was waiting for them in the office. The boy was preoccupied with the task of filling up some form or another. He didn't even notice the three men who stepped in - that is, until Paco cleared his throat.

"Hello!" he chirped with one of his customary friendly smiles. "Nasa may archives si Ate Cat, may kailangan ba kayo sakanya?"

"Actually, ikaw yung makakatulong sa amin," Paco was admitting to them. He winced at the worried tone in his voice and shook his head. "Diba tungkol sa local witchcraft at folklore ang thesis mo?"

Bugallon nodded slowly, looking a little baffled. "Oo, bakit?"

"Sigurado kaming alam mo na yung tungkol kay Dolores," Julian said quietly, leaning forward.

"May bago kasi siyang crony," explained Julio. He clenched his fists as he told him the story about the new doppleganger and the kidnapped girl. He also showed the printout of the blurry picture of the crime. "Pakiramdam ko na hindi malinaw yung picture dahil sa powers ni Dolores."

Bugallon nodded sagely. "Posible." He frowned as he regarded the picture with curiosity. "Alam mo naman na may mga myths mula sa ibang bansa tungkol sa mga babaeng gumagamit ng magic para ma-maintain yung pagkabata at ganda nila."

"Fairy tales yun," Julian mused with a small frown.

"Ano ba ang mga fairy tales? Mga myths na nagsurvive at pinagpasahan as stories." Bugallon shrugged. "Elizabeth Bathory, Gilles de Rais, Darya Saltykova... nadescribe sila na mga sadistang serial killers na pumapatay ng mga alipin at alalay nila sa mga mansyon nila, pero nandoon din yung theory na ginagamit nila yung dugo at kaluluwa ng mga biktima nila para bumata sila at hindi masira yung mga pagmumukha nila."

"Pero may catch," Paco noted. "European ang mga yan."

"Kung pwedeng gamitin yan ng mga practicioners ng witchcraft sa Europe, bakit hindi pwede dito?" Julio smiled grimly. "Diba form din naman ng witchcraft yung kulam? Kung posible doon, posible din siguro dito."

Bugallon nodded gratefully, clearly glad that someone took his side on the matter. "Exactly. Napagusapan din namin yung evil eye noon. Nagawa din ni Dolores yun kay Nanay Jay, pero foreign concept din dapat yun."

"So... posibleng walang kinalaman sa tropa namin yung kidnapping na ito, ganun?" Julio pressed on. The prospects were still absolutely terrifying despite that. "Kailangan lang niya ng mga ategirl para hindi siya tumanda at pumangit, ganun?"

"Posibleng posible. Hangga't walang concrete proof, hindi naman tayo pwedeng magassume," Paco said calmly. He nodded to the boy. "Ito na siguro yung best bet natin. Sana may nakuhang info tungkol sa kidnapping yung mga Enriquez."

"Sana nga," Julio found himself murmuring. A mental image of the women he knew - his friends and his sisters - flashed in his head. Any of them could be the next victims. He couldn't let that happen."Sana nga."

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 03-16-16, 4:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Vince watched at the corner of the small enclosure that the team appropriated as their sparring area, munching on a bar of chocolate while he watched Jay and Nena practice self defense techniques. He had taken a bit of time off from his hacking job with Etong as all they had left to do was download police reports.

"Sigurado kang ayaw mong sumali?" Jay called out with a grin as they made their way to him for a quick water break. She grabbed the bottle that she marked out as hers and took a quick swig of her drink. "Baka habulin ka din ni Dolores o ng mga goons niya, sige ka."

"Oo nga, delikado na," Nena agreed as she fixed up her ponytail.

Vince made a face. He didn't mind physical exertion but he didn't think it would help him one bit against supernatural forces. "Ah, ayos lang ako," he said with a nervous laugh. "Pass muna ako."

"Bahala ka --- shit." Jay groaned and clutched her chest, breathing heavily. She dragged herself away from their little group, as if trying to hide something.

"Nay, sigurado kang ayos ka lang?" Vince asked with a frown.

Jay looked back at them, a small hint of terror in her dark eyes. She shook her head almost imperceptibly. "M-Magiging ayos din ako. Please, hayaan niyo na."

Vince pursed his lips. She  _was_ making it sound like something was wrong. "Hindi ka ayos."

Nena nodded in concern. "Napano ba?"

Jay watched them, as if deliberating. She did seem to be in a lot of pain, which was alarming enough. "Hayaan niyo na. Si Dolores...." She paused, a look of unbearable pain on her face. "Wala kayong babanggitin sa iba."

Vince wasn't sure if he could do that. After all, Goyong had the right to know, didn't he? He nodded and made his promise, though. Jay probably wanted to tell him herself. There was no need to meddle.


	5. Mad as Rabbits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julio tries to solve the kidnapping mystery. Julian ends up in an unexpected predicament.

_The town children's warm hands pulled Julio forward, murmuring among themselves as they ushered him through street after street. Gossipers and curious bystanders alike exchanged urgent whispers, some of them shooting him curious looks. He couldn't understand what any of it had anything to do with him._

_A great crowd had gathered in front of the great stone church, milling about and murmuring in fear. Some of them recognized Julio as he approached and parted to give him space._

_"Anong nangyayari?" he asked, well aware that his question may well be ignored again._

_The metallic scent of blood seared his senses as he crept closer, still being jostled by the town's children. The passed through the crowd at the metal gates and to the small patio._

_He could feel all eyes on him, but for once it never brought any discomfort. All he could feel was the dread settling in his gut, bringing a chill to his very being._

_At the very middle of the patio was a corpse bathing in its own blood, which was steadily drying under the glare of the morning sun. Her white baro was ripped to shreds, baring her bloodstained torso for everyone to see, numerous stab wounds adorning her body like a gruesome drawing._

_A chill ran down his spine when he realized who it was - Margarita._

**Thursday, 03-17-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

The skin on the back of Julio's neck prickled when he settled down to watch the evening news with Jose, Cat, and Joven. He had a feeling that they would be learning more about the kidnapping that night. It was such a shame that the police knew as much as they did - that the girl was dragged away by a man with a distinctive hairstyle and somewhat hazy features that no one could remember clearly.

"Sa tingin niyo ba tama yung suspetsa niyo ni Bugallon?" Joven asked curiously. "Na gagamit siya ng mga babae para hindi tumanda o pumangit?"

"Posible." Julio crossed his arms and leaned forward, fighting off the shudder that was building up in him.  _Elizabeth Bathory, Gilles de Rais, Darya Saltykova... Dolores Nable Jose. Parepareho ba kayo? Pumapatay ng mga tao para hindi tumanda? Pumangit?_

The news did not disappoint.

The body of the kidnapped girl had been found in one of the cluster of woodland that still dotted Clark Airbase. The media refused to say more, except for the fact that there was apparently something _odd_ about the corpse and that they could barely recognize her.

Julio noted it down, wondering just what the police were hiding from the public eye. It must have been horrific, if even regularly neutral newscasters were looking unnerved. He knew that there was no need for him to get involved, but he supposed that it would be a way for him to vent out his rage on Aguinaldo - even if he was just going against a doppleganger.

The thought of a murdered girl sent memories flooding into his head - memories of a dead girl lying sprawled and half naked on a church patio, memories of a friar with blood smeared on his face. He bowed his head, trying to dispell the thoughts of a long gone era. _Wala na tayong mapapala._

"Bro, ayos ka lang ba?" Jose Bernal asked, wrapping an arm around Cat's shoulders.

Julio looked up, noticing that his hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles pale from the pressure. He had no idea that such a news was still so triggering to him. He could only nod, not trusting himself to speak.

_Tangina, tangina, di pwede to._

**Thursday, 03-17-16, 6:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Julian wasn't if something was wrong or not, but there he was, standing awkwardly outside of Margarita's flower shop, waiting for Tina. She texted him earlier that day, mentioning something about discussing something important. They have been getting to know each other since the mugging incident earlier that year, and he was afraid that his presence was starting to trigger her memories.

 _Wag ako, Hulyano_. She always said those words in the past - said them whenever he tried to do something that she deemed ridiculous or amusing. The possibility that she might be regaining her memories on him filled him with fiery guilt.

_Hindi kita dapat iniwan, tangina._

"Ang lalim naman ng iniisip mo." Tina approached him gingerly, dressed in her customary black shirt and skinny jeans. Her bright purple hair drew eyes from the small city crowd, though she pointedly ignored their curious stares.

"Madami lang nangyayari," he admitted with a small smile. It was true, in its own way. In between dealing with their daily lives, Dolores and her dopplegangers, and Tito Selong's cryptic messages, the entire team had their hands full.

She inclined her head with a small. quizzical smile. "Napaaga ka ata," she said in mild surprise. "Akala ko mamaya ka pa dadating."

He shrugged. "Baka upakan mo ako pag hindi ako agad sumipot eh."

"Good point, ayoko ng bomba," she told him with a snicker. She noticed the startled look in his eyes and patted his cheek. "Ito naman, binibiro lang. Masyado kang tense."

He smiled at that. He felt his cheeks burning at her touch, despite the fact that he tried so hard to ignore the loud thoughts running in his head. At that moment, it wasn't so hard to forget that they were married in their past lives.

They ended up sitting on one of those stone benches that dotted the small park outside of the city museum. The faint smell of flowers suffused the air, reminding him of old Bulacan. He supposed, to the public eye, that they looked like a couple.

Tina set down her escrima case across her lap, as if threatening to chop up anyone who tried to disrupt them. She turned to face him, her brown eyes boring into his own. It was so easy to get lost in them, even after all this time.

"So, ano tong importanteng paguusapan natin?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

She watched him with an unreadable expression. "Kung... tatanungin kita tungkol sa reincarnation, tatawanan mo ba ako?"

"Bakit kita tatawanan? Baka tagain mo pa ako diyan." He fought back a chuckle at his own joke. "Di, biro lang. Di kita tatawanan, promise. Kasi..."

"Kasi...?" she asked.

"Pinangalan ako sa lolo ng lolo ko," he explained. "Julian din yung pangalan niya. Alam mo ba, Cristina del Rosario din yung pangalan ng asawa niya."

"Tina del Rosario-del Pilar, jeweler, anak ng pinakasikat na panday sa bayan, namatay ng ilang buwan bago ng Pinatubo eruption?" she asked.

He nodded. "Mismo." That was as much as he could get from their family history. He and his brother were born just weeks after her death.

"Hanggang ngayon, gusto parin niyang malaman kung anong nangyari sa asawa niyang nawala noong 1915," she continued sadly.

Julian let out his pent up breath. "Madaming naging kasalanan si Julian sa asawa't mga anak niya," he admitted sadly. "Pinabayaan niya sila at iniwan dahil kailangan niyang tapusin ang mga huling hiling ng paborito niyang kapatid."

"Paborito niyang kapatid na... nareincarnate din pala?" Tina asked curiously.

"Mas complicated yung sitwasyon ni Goyong," Julian admitted. "Siya parin yung original na heneral."

Tina stared at him, as if trying to process his words. "Siya parin yung original na heneral? Kaya pala nandoon pa yung peklat niya sa batok, ano? Akala ko parang dala lang ng reincarnation yun."

"Binigyan niya ako ng apat na habilin noon," Julian pressed on. "Umuwi ng Bulacan, pakasalan ka, siguraduhing nasa mabuting lagay si Nena Rusca, at hanapin ang libingan ni Manuel Bernal."

He had fulfilled the first two, having married Tina just six months after Tirad. He started his family, worked for the government, and tried to ignore the past. But the last two requests weighed heavily on his mind. Shortly after their eldest son's tenth birthday, he snuck out of their home and set off to complete the requests.

He had located Eduardo Rusca's grave and tried to reunite his remains with his wife, but then tragedy struck in Zambales. He had already helped their reincarnations find closure. Something happened en route to Dagupan and Manuel Bernal's informal grave though, but it was all too hazy and he couldn't remember the circumstances behind his death.

"Shit. Dagupan." All the breath seemed to have been punched out of his body as he was struck with a realization that threw him violently out of his recollections. He looked up, locking gazes with Tina's teary eyes, trembling. "Dagupan. Si Dolores. Putangina."

"Si Dolores - Dolores Nable Jose? Yung pinapakasal nila kay Goyong noon?" Tina hastily wiped her tears and leaned forward. "May problema ba?"

He couldn't stop shaking. He had to look away from her, closing his eyes. Did Dolores have something to do with his death? Was she the reason why he couldn't recall anything during his travels to Dagupan? He closed his eyes, mind blank of everything but the sudden terror that gripped him. He had always been known as a fearless fool, adventurous and always willing to face pain and death in the eye without being shaken - but there he was, thrown out of his league by something as simple speculation over his death.

**Thursday, 03-17-16, 7:30 PM, Holy Angel Village**

He had no idea how long he was incapacitated by the sudden and unexpected fear, but the next thing he knew was that he was inside the del Rosario household, which was surprisingly empty. Tina was saying something about her father being out on some trip, and her sister being out with old friends. He could barely process it all. He wasn't even sure how Tina managed to haul him to a yellow route jeepney and drag him home.

"Nagpapanic ka," Tina whispered, stroking his thigh gently. "Anong problema?"

"Sa Dagupan... si Dolores..." He shook his head and looked down, trying to fight off the panic and fear that was starting to incapaticate him. He couldn't tell her, couldn't afford to put her in trouble.

"Napano si Dolores?" She leaned forward, her citrusy scent filling his senses, setting him on fire. "May problema ba kayo sakanya noon?"

"Hanggang ngayon," he said. There it was again, the uncharacteristic trembling.

"Ayaw kitang nakikitang magpanic. Halika, tulungan kitang makalimot, kahit saglit lang." Tina moved swiftly and sat on his lap, and before he knew it, she was kissing him silly, making him lean back on the couch. She was touching him all over, making him feel too warm between the legs. He didn't even care anymore about the fact that the moans he could hear were probably coming from him.

He had to pull away when she tried to undo his clothes, though. "S-Sandali," he gasped. "Sigurado ka na ba dito?"

Her eyes smoldered as he gazed at him. "Naghintay ako ng mahigit isandaang taon para dito, wag ako."

"Friendly lang na hindi pa ako nagkaroon ng girlfriend at wala pa akong kinama kaya wala akong experience," he pointed out

"First time ko din to." She grinned savagely.

Julian supposed that it was about time that he made up for abandoning her in the past. _Kung ganitong klaseng kawalan naman pala ang huhulugan ko, ayos na ayos lang naman sakin._

**Thursday, 03-17-16, 10:00 PM, Holy Angel Village**

He was still in a haze of happiness. He wasn't sure how they ended up in her room, sprawled across the pastel blue blankets of her queen sized bed. He had an arm around her waist and was surprised by the fact that he didn't feel awkward at all over what they've done.

"Namiss kita," he mused. "Galit ka ba dahil sa ginawa ko noon?"

"Hindi. I just needed the answers," she noted, shifting slightly from his embrace. "Ipinagpilitan nila noon na iniwan mo ako dahil may iba ka nang babae pero alam mo, nagtiwala ako sa iyo - na may iba kang reason para umalis."

"Meron nga." He paused, trying to recall, yet again, what could have happened in Dagupan. All it did was give him a slight headache that slowly built up at the back of his head. "Tangina, hindi ko parin talaga maalala kung anong nangyari sa huli."

"Hayaan mo na muna yan. Babalik din siguro yan in time," she told him with a smile. "Ang importante, nandito ka na ulit. Pwede na tayong bumawi."

"Ano nga ba tayo?" he mused quietly.

She chuckled at that. "Kailangan pa bang lagyan ng label? Dating magasawa... pwede rin namang ano... pwede mo na din siguro akong tawaging girlfriend mo kung gusto mo."

He smiled at that. "Girlfriend at future wife?"

"Wag ako, Hulyano." She paused, as if reconsidering, then laughed. "Pero oo, ganun na nga ata."

Despite the somewhat bumpy beginning that they had in this lifetime, he was glad to realize that now it felt like nothing has changed between them over their century of separation. Despite initial hiccups, he was now aware that he was still crazy for her, and he hoped that she really did still feel the same for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At least walang cliffhanger :)))) Start your day right with hardsss!


	6. Stone's Throw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team discovers something.

_Julio felt so blank, so dead. He knew who did it - knew which friar lusted over Margarita. She was young, so young and beautiful and had so much in store for her in the future. He had already talked to his parents and they had agreed to let him ask for her hand in marriage once he was old enough to do so._

_Now all his plans were ruined. Margarita was gone because of a damn Spanish friar who probably tried to rape and kill her. He knew that she wouldn't have let him hurt her without a struggle. She would have done something, anything to stop him._

_He swore never to marry._

* * *

_It was a night like any other - or so, other people thought. No, that night, Julio Nakpil joined the Katipunan, signing his name and sealing the pact with his blood. He could see them watching him, see them wondering what someone so slim and lanky as he could offer to the revolution._

_He was never the strongest fighter, he had to admit, but what he lacked in physical prowess, he could make up with his speed and his wits. He wasn't just some young musician who was trying to make money - he was there for vengeance too. He wanted to avenge Margarita and drive the oppresive Spanish regime out of the country in her memory._

**Friday, 03-18-16, 9:30 AM, Adworks**

His brother hadn't returned from his meeting with Tina that night, and he called in sick to work that morning. Julio knew what probably happened, unable to keep the amused smile from his face. Of course, he would never think of judging his brother for his choices but he hoped that he wasn't left to fend for himself at work without being informed.

It was another slow day at work. He and his brother already finished their workload for the week, and there wasn't anything that he could in social media. Instead, he found himself browsing local news sites for more information regarding the kidnapping and the girl's corpse.

Even online media seemed hesitant to say anything regarding the corpse that they found. There were no statements from the police yet, as if they were still trying to decide on how to divulge the news to the public. He really couldn't wait to get off work so that he could check on the Enriquez brothers' attempts to access police reports on the kidnapping case.

The thought of a dead teenage girl lying sprawled in an empty field sent goosebumps running along the length of his arms, reminding him yet again of a dead sweetheart from an era long gone.

A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see Andoy hovering from across his desk, a cup of coffee in hand.

"Bro," Julio greeted lamely, not sure if he should salute or something. "'Sup?"

"Sabi nung receptionist, hindi ka daw masyadong busy," Andoy noted, taking a sip from his drink. "Pwede ba tayong magusap sa lounge?"

"Hindi mo naman siguro ako aarestuhin ano? O may sinira nanaman bang sasakyan yung kakambal ko?" Julio quipped, locking his computer and getting to his feet.

"Negative pareho." A small smile quirked up Andres' face as he led the way to the small meeting lounge. "Actually, sigurado akong alam niyo nang may hawak kaming bagong kaso."

"Yung kidnapping?" Julio asked as he shut the door behind him.

Andres nodded tiredly as he sat on the couch, staring at his old friend thoughtfully. "Sigurado akong pareho din tayo ng suspect, kahit na hindi ito alam ng mga kasama ko sa station - o ng mga madlang tao na din."

"Si Dolores, diba?" Julio asked. "Kung hindi man siya, baka yung mga sidekick niyang anino."

Andres nodded. "Mismo. Mukhang may bago nanaman siyang anino, maliban na lang kung yung anino ni Goyong yung gamit niya?"

"Negative." Julio tried to keep a straight face, despite the fact that it was _awfully challenging_. "May bago ngang anino - kay Aguinaldo."

Andres froze at his words. "Aguinaldo - si Miong?"

"Walang labis, walang kulang." Julio frowned as he told Andres all about the person he saw in the mall during that dinner with Margarita, and the pictures that they got of the crime scene. "Hindi ganoon kaganda yung nakuha nilang picture pero sigurado ako na yung anino niya yung may kagagawan nung kidnapping."

Andres let out a quiet huff of breath. "Shit."

"Shit indeed," Julio agreed.

"Sige, patapos na yung break ko." Andres pulled out a small envelope from his bag. "Pagaralan niyo to, baka may maitulong."

**Friday, 03-18-16, 5:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

The sudden last minute rush of workload that day meant that he wasn't able to check the envelope. The distractions thrown at him also meant that it was pushed to the very back of his mind, forgotten for the moment.

He found himself, yet again, driving to Margarita's flower shop. He was more aware of what he was doing this time though, which he supposed was a good thing. He killed the engine, hopped out of his car, and smoothed his black shirt. He couldn't do anything about his appearance aside from looking somewhat neater so he had to make do with what he had.

Margarita wasn't alone this time though. She was busy assisting a small handful of customers with two other young women who were probably her cousins. She looked up as he approached and smiled as she handed some change to a highschool-age boy.

"Hi, hi," she said in an excited tone, dusting her hands before turning to a bucket of white roses. "Buti napadaan ka?"

"Uh..." He didn't even know why he hauled himself to the shop in the first place. He just did it on impulse, after all. _Ako yun. Impulsive, distracted, hyperactive, walang attention span_. "Nangangamusta lang."

She smiled at that. "How sweet naman," she noted amidst her cousins' giggles. She placed a bucket of unfamiliar flowers in one shelf and took off her blue apron. "Hmm, kayo nang bahala hanggang closing?"

"Oo, sige na, hinihintay ka na ng boyfriend mo," one of her cousins tittered.

Julio felt his cheeks go red, but Margarita seemed unfazed. "Ulul mo. Future husband ko to."

Roaring laughter accompanied them as he was dragged out of the shop and to the cobblestone sidewalk. He scratched the back of his head as she regarded him with a brilliant smile.

"So, nangangamusta ka lang talaga?" she asked with mock disappointment.

A small, tight smile bloomed on his face. "Bakit, gusto mo bang lumabas?"

"Gusto ko sana, kaso may nauna na akong lakad. Sorry," she grimaced briefly before her face brightened up again. "Pwede naman ako bukas, okaya sa linggo." She took out her phone and turned back to him. "Hindi pa pala tayo nagpapalitan ng number, ano?"

His fingers shook as they exchanged numbers. "Wala bang magagalit niyan? Wala ka bang _legit_ na boyfriend?"

She shook her head and patted his cheek. "Ang hilig mo namang magalala, Dios mio naman. Parang dati lang, ano?"

Those words shook him out of his constantly distracted state of mind like a bucket of cold water dumped on his head. He almost dropped his phone as he locked eyes with her. "Anong parang dati?"

"Parang dati - nung ikaw pa si Julio Nakpil at ako si Margarita na pinatay sa simbahan?" She laughed, patting his cheek again. "Sige ha, mauuna na ako. Hinihintay pa ako ni Ate Oryang sa may palengke."

She leaned forward to give him a light peck on the lips before turning away and flouncing off, leaving him dumbfounded.

**Friday, 03-18-16, 5:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julio's thoughts were still spinning around in a great rumble, bringing all corners of his mind to life as he finally found his way home. The smell of blooming flowers filled his senses as he got out of his car and headed to the garden. Goyong was crouching before a set of flower bushes near the cement fence, tending to them with a small smile on his face.

The boy general looked up and nodded. "Nasa loob yung mga iba, mukhang nakapag-hack na sila sa database ng mga pulis," he announced.

Julio nodded thoughtfully, suddeny remembering the small envelope that he was clutching. He looked down, surprised tha the was still lugging it along with him despite the fact that he forgot about it for a while. He entered the house with Goyong right behind him, the faint smell of cooking dinner wafting from the kitchen. He spotted his twin perched on his usual beanbag near the bay window, phone in hand, his face seemingly _aglow_.

"May nangyari sainyo ni Tina, ano?" Julio blurted out before he could stop himself. He internally slapped himself as he did so,

Julian stared at him, mouth agape. His cheeks were flushed a bright red as a bewildered look filled his face. His eyes flickered down as he nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly. "Eh ano ngayon?"

"Naninigurado lang." Julio crossed his arms with a snort. "Talagang nag absent ka pa pagkatapos ah? Ganun ba kayo ka-wild kagabi?"

Julian turned impossibly redder at those words. "Gago. Hindi lang ako agad nagising," he said in horror.

"Good for you," chirped Julio. He leapt to his feet with a smile. "Pakikalap yung team, magmemeeting tayo pagkatapos kong magbihis."

**Friday, 03-18-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julio couldn't help but fidget when he sat at the head of the group, taking the spot that their de facto leader, Goyong, usually did. Despite having been appointed as a general of the Katipunan in the old days, he had never been truly comfortable with a position of leadership. He was fine with going along with the flow. Then again, he was willing to step up to it when push came to shove.

He explained his brief meeting with Andres and the envelope that he received. He admitted that he had been too distracted all day to have a look at it until that evening, and that he believed going over the information together with the rest of the team would be the best step.

His fingers trembled as he flipped the envelope cover and pulled out a small bundle of pictures. He laid them out on the center table, feeling his stomach churn as he realized what they were.

They were pictures of a corpse in different angles - the kidnapped girl's corpse, to be exact. Goosebumps trailed down Julio's arms as he beheld the scene.

The girl was still wearing the clothes that were seen on her in the picture that they had of the kidnapping, lying spread eagled on a grassy field and her glassy eyes staring wide open at a dark, starry sky. Her face was twisted in what could only be a look of horror, her mouth half open, as if in an attempt to start screaming. That wasn't the most disturbing thing about the entire matter. It was the fact that all the moisture seemed to have been sucked dry from the corpse, leaving a mummified appearance.

"Punyeta, ano to?" Goyong asked in horror. His fingers brushed against one of the pictures, as if they would give him answers.

Paco frowned. "Nasabi ni Bugallon na... possibleng ginagawa ni Dolores to para hindi tumanda o pumangit, diba? What if... hinigop niya yung pagkabata at ganda ng mga biktima niya?"

"Putangina," Nonong cussed, looking down from his reviewers. "Ginawa niyang fountain of youth yung mga ibang tao, ano?"

Etong winced as he turned his laptop over, showing them the police records that he managed to access. They mostly comprised of the pictures that Andres had already printed out, and some brief statements from the distraught people who discovered the corpse. The autopsy was still ongoing as of the most recent update and it seemed like everyone was at a loss for any logical explanation for the corpse's appearance.

"Syempre, walang valid explanation yan kung science ang susundan," Joven was saying reasonably. "Kailan pa nagkaroon ng valid explanation ang magic?"

"Kung ano pa man yan, alam naman nating lahat na dapat nating pigilan si Dolores," Goyong said quietly, a quiver in his voice as he surveyed the entire team. "Baka dumami pa yung mga biktima niya."

"Magumpisa muna tayo sa kidnapper," Julio offered, trying to sound reasonable. "Yung anino ni Aguinaldo muna yung unahin natin." It sounded like a plan in his head, but it was definitely easier said than done. He didn't even know where to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Napaaga ata ang Halloween. Labyu guys. :)))


	7. Death Valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian settles family matters. Nonong gets into a scuffle.

_Oryang's heartbroken wail was all he could hear, keeping him away from drowning in his own sorrow and anger. Andres was his friend, and now he lost his life in the worst possible way - through betrayal, instead of the glorious death in battle, for the country, that he had always hoped for. The execution, no, the murder, would never sit well with Julio - especially since the Supremo had considered Aguinaldo his friend._

_"Paano na tayo?" Oryang asked quietly. "Hindi na natin sila maaaring pagkatiwalaan."_

_'Magtatago tayo," he told her. Andres' last words to him rang in his ears. "Hindi naman kita pababayaan."_

* * *

_He married her despite his vow to never be wed. He married her to fulfill his friend's wishes, to fulfill his final request to take care of Oryang. Their hearts would never truly belong with each other, he knew, but it was better than loneliness, better than the bitter rage and resentment that would eat them up if they kept to themselves._

_"Hindi ako si Andres," he told her on their wedding night. "Pero sisiguraduhin ko na hindi ka mapapabayaan."_

_She smiled at him, sad and hopeful at the same time. He was vaguely aware that he would probably learn to love her in his own way, and that wasn't a bad thing. "Alam ko. Kaya nga ipinagkatiwala ka sa akin, hindi ba?"_

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 10:30 AM, Angeles City Proper**

Julian stood awkwardly at the edge of the church patio, checking his watch repeatedly and wondering if his sister would ever learn to arrive on time. Despite the fact that he and his brother found ways to haul themselves back to Pampanga and Angeles after being away for a decade, he still realized that he missed his quirky siblings. He wasn't the old Julian - Bulacan would _never_ be his home.

"Ang lalim naman ng iniisip ni Pogi."

Loud footsteps preceeded his eldest sister's arrival - Maria had never been good at sneaking, despite her propensity for mad scheming. The family resemblance between her and the twins, who were a good four years younger, had always been striking. No one would have doubted that they were related, despite her more delicate features and her long, wavy hair. There was also that insane grin on her face that Julian hoped he would never see on anyone else.

"Namamayat ka," she continued with a grin. She pinched her brother's forearm, leaving a red mark on his pale skin. "Sigurado ka bang kumakain ka ng maayos?"

"Mas malakas nga akong kumain ngayon eh," he told her dourly. "Buti napadaan ka sa Angeles?" He had barely rolled out of his bed earlier that morning when he received a call from her, asking him to meet up.

"Malapit na akong ikasal, diba?" she chided. "Bumisita ako sa mga dati nating kapitbahay para magimbita."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Buti nakipagkita ka sakin?"

"Alam ko namang mas madali kang kausap sa kakambal mo," Maria noted in mild amusement. "Actually, nasabi kasi niyang may kaibigan ka daw na gumagawa ng alahas. _Mangailangan kami mung ditak a saup." Nanangailangan lang kami ng konting tulong._

"Ah." Julian's stomach fluttered as his thoughts strayed to Tina and that night. "May... kakilala nga ako. Kung gusto mo, pwede kitang samahan sakanya."

"Bakit ganyan yung itsura mo?" Maria asked, poking his warm cheek.

He stared at her levelly, hoping that he didn't sound like an awkward boy. "Girlfriend ko yun."

She threw her head back and laughed. "May girlfriend ka na, Pogi? Akalain mo yun!"

"Matagal na sana kaming nagkaroon ng mga girlfriend kung di ka lang wagas makialam," he pointed out in a dry tone. "Kung awayin mo yung mga nililigawan namin noon, akala mo wala nang bukas."

"True, pero di ko bet yung mga pinapakilala mo noon eh." She shrugged, as if that settled matters. "Sana naman pasado sa standards ko yang babaeng yan."

Hot resentment flashed in his gut, reminding him of why living with his sister grated him so much - she always thought that she had the final say in everyone's lives. He swallowed down the irritation and old anger though, reminding himself that she was still his sister and she couldn't meddle with him anymore.

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 11:45 AM, Holy Angel Village**

His knees trembled when he parked right outside the del Rosario household, quelling the butterlies in his stomach that seemed caught up in a hurricane. _Masasanay ba ako sa ganito?_ Truth be told, he would probably never be used to the odd relationship he had with Tina. It was as if they were simply picking up where they left off, not minding the century that separated them, not caring about the circumstances that tore them apart.

"Tina del Rosario yung pangalan niya? As in parang si Lola Tina?" Maria was saying loudly, a small bemused smile on her face as she leaned on one spot on the solid wood door - which opened so quickly that she fell flat on the ground.

Tina stood in front of them, slender and sturdy and beautiful, her dark eyes glittering as she regarded them. She gave Maria a pointed look before turning back to Julian and giving him a lingering kiss.

"Buti napadaan ka?" she asked with a small smile. "At sino yang kasama mo?"

Julian stared at his sister before turning back to his girlfriend with a small grin. "Ikakasal na kasi si Ate Maria, kailangan daw ng tulong."

The sister in question leapt to her feet and held out her hand. "Maria del Pilar, soon to be de la Paz, panganay na kapatid ni Julian."

Tina gave her a tight smile and stepped aside to let them in. "Tara, pasok muna kayo. Mainit diyan sa labas."

Julian sat on the corner of the couch, sipping iced tea while the two women went over some discussion or another about restoring old rings. He let them get lost in their talk, deciding to mull over Dolores and the kidnapped girl instead. Just the mere thought of what the witch could do to women sent a chill down his spine. The next victims could include his sister, his girlfriend, basically  _anyone_.

Thinking of the dead girl's appearance sent a shudder down his spine. It was definitely not natural, especially if she had been seen alive just a little more than twenty four hours before her corpse turned up. He wondered if there was a way to use their knowledge of Dolores' magic to track down the doppleganger that she was using to kidnap women and stop it for good.

"Ang lalim ng iniisip mo." Tina's voice wormed its way through his mind as he felt her hand touch his lap. "May problema ka ba?"

"Wala naman." He forced out a smile, hoping that his worries didn't show through. His hand found hers, brushed a thumb against her skin which was rough from days of employing her chosen craft. The contact was enough to sent warm jolts running in his gut.

"Wag ako, Hulyano," she growled gently.

He decided that he would tell her about Dolores soon. He couldn't just let her face each day blindly without knowing that she could be taken next, could have the life sucked out of her by a witch. It may have sounded far fetched, but he knew that he could convince her to believe him, help her stay safe.

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 11:45 AM, Angeles City Proper**

"Hindi ko alam bakit ako pa yung inutusan mong sumama sayo," Nonong complained loudly.

He had just finished his exams and there he was, helping his cousin do some groceries for the team. As if that wasn't bad enough, they were supposed to walk from home all the way to Nepo Mall.

They barely made their way to the Lakandula area, near Holy Angel University's southern exit. His legs were already burning from the fifteen minutes' worth of walking that they've survived, and he wasn't looking forward to the next five or so that would bring them to the mall.

"Kailangan mo ng exercise," Jay scoffed as she ran a hand through her freshly dyed red hair. "Tignan mo, konting lakad lang at hinihingal ka na."

"Ikaw din naman," he pointed out. It wasn't his fault that he wasn't athletic - he'd really rather just hang around somewhere with a friend or another instead of investing himself in sports.

"Jay, Nonong," a familiar voice called out as they passed by a blocked off street. "Patulong naman ako sandali."

Goyong was crouched in one corner of the nigh abandoned, dark street in question, struggling with something on his shoe. That was odd. He was out of the house with Vince since even before Nonong hopped off for school and almost everyone else in the house was asleep at that time.

Nonong made his way cautiously to the boy general, feeling that something was wrong. Vince was nowhere in sight, for one. And another, they were supposed to be in San Fernando. Jay was right beside him, her hand fumbling for something hidden on her belt.

"Kuya?" Nonong asked as they closed the distance.

Goyong looked up - and it wasn't the boy general at all. His features have been altered to appear too perfect, too inhuman, and his eyes were all black. It was the doppleganger.

The creature reached out and lunged for his throat in an attempt to choke him, but Jay grabbed Nonong and pulled him away. She raised her other hand, which clutched that special dagger that Goyong passed on to her from Andres Bonifacio himself. She parried an attack from the doppleganger's black knife in time.

Nonong's backside stung from the impact as his own cousin pushed him out of harm's way. His eyes watered as he scrambled back to his feet - just in time to see the doppleganger shove against his cousin's chest and fling her to the ground with a soft huff. Jay dropped her knife and began to wheeze.

Nonong grabbed a fallen wooden plank lying near a demolished building. It wasn't as good as his cousin's knife, but it would serve as a better weapon in his untrained hands. Ignoring Jay's terrifying wheezes - did she break a rib and puncture something? - he aimed a blow at the distracted doppleganger's head.

Though he was sent staggering back, the doppleganger didn't even seem fazed at all. He elbowed Nonong in the nose, bloodying it and sending a fresh wave of pain in his face. He felt a combat boot dig into his gut in a forceful kick, hurling him into the crumbling porch of an abandoned house.

"Hoy gago, wag mong sasaktan pinsan ko!" Jay still sounded in pain but she hurled herself at the doppleganger, landing a cut across its throat.

It shrieked and its eyes glowed. It grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the ground. "Nandito lang ako para magbigay ng babala," it growled through gritted teeth. "Kulang na lamang sa apat na buwan ang nalalabi para sa iyo. Patikim pa lamang ito."

"So be it, gago," Jay growled back.

Before Nonong could regain enough strength to stand, the doppleganger's free hand glowed. It shoved its palm into her chest, sending her writhing and screaming in pain. It stood up, dusted its clothes, and darted away as Nonong got to his feet.

 _Punyeta_.

As much as he wanted to go after the doppleganger, his cousin was the priority. He dashed toward Jay, who was gasping for breath as she clutched her chest in pain. They had to get help. Checking his cousin's erratic pulse and her ragged breathing, he was afraid that something worse might happen if they didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEM BEM


	8. Interlude: Going Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay schemes.

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 10:45 AM, Angeles City Proper**

Nonong fought back the panic fluttering at the fringes of his mind. He imagined that he was in the emergency room, helping a struggling patient. It helped in stomping back the fear as he took his cousin into his arms. It was a bit challenging - she was quite heavier than she looked - and hauled himself out of the street. His entire body still ached from being thrown around but it was an emergency, and if there was one thing he learned in his new life, it was that he could actually keep a clear head despite the terrible situation they were in.

He carried Jay out of the street, struggling from the unexpected weight. She still seemed to be in the twilight of consciousness, which somewhat reassured him. Her eyes flickered dimly as he helped her into a tricycle.

"Kaya ko pa naman," she whispered weakly.

"Anong kaya? Halos di ka na nga makahinga eh!" He didn't have to add that her pulse was alarming him. The morning traffic jam didn't help matters either. "Ano ba talagang nararamdaman mo?"

"Wala." Jay closed her eyes again, rubbing her chest. "Wag mo nalang sasabihin kay Goyong. Magaalala pa yun."

Nonong nodded, fearing that something was terribly wrong with his cousin.  _Ate, anong tinatago mo?_

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 3:00 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

Jay blacked out from the pain as her cousin dashed her into the emergency room. She had no idea how long she was unconscious, though the sunlight filtering through the frilly pink curtains of the unfamiliar room seemed too bright.

Her entire chest hurt, as if a giant hand was squeezing it, restricting her breathing, making her heart do a mad and terrifyingly unhealthy drumroll in her ribcage. The prickly feeling of an IV needle on the back of her left hand kept intruding upon her quiet thoughts. She looked around some more, noting the soft, rapid beeps of a monitor whose leads were tugging at the skin on her chest, which was lightly covered by a thin, unbuttoned shirt that definitely wasn't hers.

She hadn't noticed the quiet murmurs outside the room until they stopped. The door slowly creaked open and three people stepped in. First was Isabel Luna, dressed smartly in her uniform, a clipboard and a stethoscope in hand. Beside her was a bothered Nonong who kept his head down, biting his lip to keep himself from saying something.

Right behind them was  _Goyong._ His brown eyes seemed warmer after the cold, inhuman gaze of his doppleganger. He dashed for her, found his way to the chair on the right side of her bed. "Juliet," he began in an an obvious attempt not to sound upset. His warm fingers brushed red hair away from her face before he kissed her forehead. "Kamusta ka?"

"Ayos lang ako," she croaked, forcing out an upbeat smile. Two can play at the game, he had to know that. "Naasikaso niyo ba yung confirmation certificate ko sa cathedral?"

He nodded. "Naligaw lang kami ng konti ni Vince. Kanina pa nga daw kami tinatawag ni Nonong pagkatapos ka niyang isugod dito kaso wala palang signal doon."

Nonong gave his cousin a worried look. "Akala ko mamamatay ka," he admitted.

Isabel clucked her tongue as she began to check on her patient grimly, tugging Jay's shirt apart gently as she did. Jay felt so exposed, so uncomfortable, that she merely kept her eyes on her bare skin. The markings left by Dolores on her chest, the markings that signified her curse, still stood there, most of them still as black as ink. A good portion had been turning red though, as if counting down the time until the fifteenth of July.

"Ang daming tests na ginawa noong naging stable ka na," Isabel was saying gently, as if unsure of how to break the news to her. "Hindi namin maintindihan. Perfectly healthy ka naman dapat. Walang defects. Parang... ayaw lang talagang gumana ng maayos ng puso mo at walang valid explanation kung bakit."

 _Meron po, hindi lang scientific. Tangina ni Dolores._ Jay clenched her right hand, felt Goyong rub her arm soothingly. White hot anger ran through her though, made her blood  _burn._ "Paano na po niyan?" Her voice quivered, not in fear, but rage.

"Magpahinga ka muna," murmured Isabel, finishing her work and covering Jay up again. "Yun ang importante. Iwas muna sa caffeine at energy drinks. Bawal muna daw ang strenuous activities paglabas mo, okaya ang overstimulation." Her eyes flickered to Goyong at that last statement, as if she expected them to make out all the time.

She smiled at them warmly before heading out of the room.

"Papasukin ko lang si Vince," Nonong said quickly before dashing out.

_Papapasukin si Vince, o bibigyan kami ng oras magusap ni Goyong?_

Jay turned to her fiance with a wary smile. "Nauna ka pa ata nilang sabihan kaysa sa kapatid ko," she noted.

"Nandito daw si Joven kanina," admitted Goyong. "Umuwi lang para ipangkuha ka ng gamit." He paused, then leaned forward. "Ayos ka lang ba talaga? Wala bang masakit?"

She took his hand and placed it against her chest. "Wala na," she told him half heartedly.

He smiled, though she could see the quiet fear in his eyes. "Hahanap tayo ng paraan para gumaling ka," he whispered. His thumb stroked her chest gently, threatening to set her senses on fire. "Hindi tayo magpapatalo kay Dolores."

**Saturday, 03-19-16, 9:00 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center**

It was just the two of them left behind after the rest of the team headed home. Joven also offered to stay, but Jay shooed him, noting that he had a lot of paperwork to take care of. She was still in pain, and she knew that no one could do anything about it unless the curse is undone. It didn't help that Goyong pretended to be so cheerful and positive when she could actually see him breaking, see him fighting hard against the impulse to tear up. Neither of them have talked much over the past hour, merely exchanging glances every now and then. He rarely removed his hand from her chest, as if afraid that her heart would suddenly stop, as if afraid that something  _terrible_ might happen to her.

"Alam mo," she finally said, fed up with his faux positivity. "Hindi mo naman kailangang itago yung nararamdaman mo. _Balu daka. Antindyan ku._ "  _Alam kita. Naiintindihan ko._

He looked up, and she could see the feral terror that was lurking in his brown eyes. His lips parted and the tears spilled. "Patawarin mo ako, hindi ko napigilan ang lahat ng ito." He was finally resorting to his old speech in his agitation and fear and uncertainty, letting the moment drown him. "Natatakot ako."

"Natatakot din ako," she admitted calmly. "At alam mo, kasalanan ko naman ito. Dahil ito sa sumpa niya, diba? Eh ako naman yung gagong naghanap ng away."

"Kahit na," he began.

"Shhh, tama na." She smiled and reached out to wipe his tears. "Hindi mo kayang pigilan ang lahat ng mga masasamang bagay na nangyayari sa akin."

He stared at her, looking much younger as he let his fear show. He never was good with hiding anything from her for long. "Wag mo akong iiwan."

"Of course not." She smiled. "Ikakasal pa tayo sa December."

It didn't help. He rested his head against her shoulder, his body wracked with heartbroken sobs. It killed her, seeing him so ruined by something caused by her foolish recklessness. The quiet grief and fear building up in her made her chest ache even more, and she had to struggle with her breathing.

She didn't notice that she was wheezing until Goyong was on his feet, preparing to call the nurses. She shook her head in alarm, grabbing his hand. "Hindi, kaya ko pa."

"Anong kaya mo? Halos hindi ka na nga makahinga eh," he argued.

She pulled him back down to his seat. "Promise, sasabihin ko kung hindi talaga."

"Juliet," he said tiredly.

"Gregorio." She squeezed his hand with a reassuring smile. "Tiwala lang."

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 10:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Despite the numerous tests that she had been through, the doctors still couldn't find an explanation for her condition. It really was as if her heart refused to cooperate all of a sudden. They agreed to let her go home as long as she promised to take care of herself.

She was supposed to swear off strenuous activities, caffeine, and energy drinks, but of course she was too hardheaded to listen. It was business as usual when she got home, a cup of coffee in and and plans to continue her boyfriend's knife fighting lessons despite his protests.

Of course, nothing was ever according to plan. As soon as she hauled herself out of Joven's car, a worried Paco greeted them. "May bago na namang nakidnap," he said.

Joven winced, glancing at his sister. "Bagong balita?"

Paco nodded. "Breaking news, kaninang bahagya lang."

Goyong scowled. "Gaano pa kadaming dalaga ang kailangang niyang kunin?"

They made their way inside, where everyone was staring at Vince's laptop. He looked up as they approached with a small frown. "Nay, bawal sayo yung stress."

"Alam ko, pero mas importante ito," chided Jay.

She grabbed a beanbag and plopped down beside Cat and Nena, who exchanged concerned looks. Goyong perched himself beside her, as if making sure that she was perfectly well.

"Public kidnapping na naman," Julio said quietly, peering at the news article that Vince brought up. "May pictures pa oh."

It was another kidnapping in the city's business district, not far from the  _carinderia_ that was awfully iconic for Goyong and her. The victim was another girl, a college student from a nearby local college, who was dragged away by a tall, solidly built man whose features no one could recall. All eyewitnesses noted the fact that they were compelled to simply watch, unable to move a muscle and help, until the culprit and victim were both long gone.

"Public kidnapping ulit?" Julian asked angrily. "Lumalakas talaga yung loob ni Dolores, ano?"

"Lumalakas din yung powers niya kung ganun," Nena pointed out. She glanced at Jay. "Kung kaya niyang gumawa ng sakit na walang scientific explanation, public hypnosis pa kaya para walang magawa ang mga witness?"

Jay had to admit that it was a pretty unsettling thought. Just what was the extent of Dolores' powers? She hated feeling helpless as much as Goyong did. Despite their differences, they were similar enough to properly understand each other.

"Susubukan kong kausapin si Andoy bukas," offered Julio. "Tignan ko din kung may alam na siya tungkol dito."

Jay looked down, the storm of thoughts in her mind turning quickly, whsipering possibility upon endless possibility in her head. She wondered if there was a different way to track down the kidnapped girls, wondered if there was a way for her to tap into her connection with Dolores and use the curse against her. It might not heal her - it could actually kill her, now that she thought about - so it might not help her find a way to save her life, but Jay had this odd feeling that the curse could help them in saving these kidnapped girls.

She exchanged glances with her brother. She knew that he was perceptive enough to be aware of the fact that she was planning something. She smiled at him, hoping that it would reassure him that she wouldn't do something stupid.

_Humanda ka, Dolores. Gagawin kong alas itong sumpa mo sa akin. You're going down. Vaya con diablo, bitch._


	9. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julio and Julian get into two wildly different misadventures.

_Julio felt too old and tired. Margarita was gone, Andoy was gone, Oryang was gone, and the feeling of loneliness permeated every cold creak of his bones. He still had his children, of course, and his grandchildren, but not even they were enough to ease the quiet sadness that ate him up._

_He just wanted a break - a very long and hopefully permanent one._

_It was a beautiful Saturday morning. There was a song in there somewhere, he was sure, but he had stopped seeing songs in everything a long time ago._

_Not even the piano could help him clear his head anymore, and the thought brought a fresh wave of sadness in him. It was just too much._

_He had no idea how anyone was able to slip in the piece of paper in his room, but there it was, lying on top of his thick brown bedsheet. He picked it up, wondering who it could have come from. The handwriting was awfully familiar, but he couldn't remember whose._

_Giliw_

_Kailangan ko ang tulong mo. Maaari ba tayong magusap? Magkita tayo sa simbahan bukas._

_P_

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 5:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Julio was so desperate to cool his head after the tension brought by the new kidnapping case. There had to be a way to track down the doppleganger and the missing girls, he could feel it, but everyone was stumped. Everyone was too involved in the case already, he knew, not just because of Dolores. It was also because of the women whose lives could be in jeopardy.

He found himself asking Margarita out, suddenly grateful for the fact that they exchanged numbers. He was surprised to see her waiting for him already by the time that he parked right outside their house, dressed in a vivid blue dress that accentuated the vivid color of her hair.

She smiled as she slid into the car, tucking a stray lock of her bright hair behind her ear. "Saan ang lakad natin?" Her eyes took in his grungy black shirt and ragged jeans with surprising approval.

"Saan mo ba gusto?" he asked, unable to fight the grin that threatened to light up his face.

She pouted at that and crossed her arms with a huff. "Nagyayaya kang lumabas, pero wala pa palang plano?"

"Baka kasi may gusto kang puntahan," he said with a shrug.

Her smile returned in full force. "Naks, gentleman pala."

Those gentle words sent his stomach aflutter, as if he were a high school student again. It felt wonderful. _Tulad ng dati._

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 7:00 PM, Brgy. Balibago**

He was still amazed by how easy it was to be with her. She admitted that she remembered almost everything about her past since she was around twelve or thirteen. She noted that the past was definitely _traumatic_ , but she was in the present now, and things were so much better.

"Iba yung noon sa ngayon," she reiterated as they stepped out of the restaurant. "Lalo na... alam kong nandyan ka na din."

That made him smile. "Akala ko nga hindi na tayo magkikita ulit," he admitted quietly.

 _"Ali mu ika." Hindi lang ikaw._ She stopped walking as they passed a dark corner of the sidewalk, eyes watching him expectantly.

 _"Kaluguran da naka ata." Mahal na ata kita_. He leaned forward, noting how tiny she appeared in front of his tall, lanky frame. _Hindi, matagal na pala_. Noon pa pala. He took a deep breath, trying to dispel old memories of her broken form lying dead in the church patio. That was the past, and they were writing a new future now.

He leaned forward and kissed her, pinning her to an abandoned building's wall. His mind was a riot of colors, maddening, beautiful, exhiliarating. Her hands gripped his waist, setting him alight.

He had forgotten what it was like to be in love.

Margarita pulled away, a thirsty "Baka... mapasobra tayo," she said in amusement. "Walang tao sa bahay, gusto mong ituloy natin doon?"

His eyes flickered to the dark, starry sky above him. _So ito na ba yung karma ko dahil ayaw kong tigilan ang pangaasar kay Julian?_ "Sige."

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 9:00 PM, Sta. Cruz, Porac**

Hours later, lying side by side with Margarita on her bed, he wondered if they did the right thing. Maybe it was just the old fashioned sensibilities of his past life complaining to his modern self. He definitely was crazy for her, anyway.

Despite the electric fan that blew air at their naked forms, he felt warm and content and happy. He had forgotten what it was like to really be crazy for a girl. He had grown to love Oryang in their past life, but it was still wildly different to what he was feeling now, to what he was starting to feel for Margarita back then.

Her smile blinded him in a good way. She snuggled close, her soft hair tickling his chest. "Nabigla ata kita," she noted.

"Ako nga ata yung bumigla sayo," he replied wryly.

She smiled and shook her head. "Ano ka ba, ako nga ata yung uhaw dito."

He raised an eyebrow, feeling a smile fill his face. "Pwede namang pareho tayong uhaw ah."

"Good point." She chuckled. "So ano, future husband, ayos ba yung performance ko?"

"Bakit sakin ka nagtatanong?" he asked.

Before she could answer, the door creaked open. Oryang peered in, the curious look in her face replaced quickly by mortification. She backed away and shut the door behind her, mumbling a quick apology.

Julio and Margarita exchanged horrified looks. Neither of them heard her enter the house, let alone walk to the room. They scrambled into their clothes without another word, made sure that they looked decent enough, and walked out.

Oryang was waiting for them in the living room, amusement sparkling in her eyes. She smiled as they approached and patted the small lunchbox that she was clutching. "Napadaan ako kasi nagluto ako ng ulam, eh may narinig akong maingay." Her cheeks turned red. "Akala ko kung ano na."

Margarita elbowed Julio and chuckled. "Well, may bisita ako."

"Bisita." Oryang laughed and patted Julio's head. "Sabi pa man din ni Andoy sobrang dalisay na bata ka daw."

"Dalisay?" Margarita echoed her laughter. She elbowed Julio with a chuckle. "Nakow, napaka, um, submissive nga niya. Sobrang dalisay!"

"Kiss and tell pala itong pinsan ko," Oryang replied with a laugh.

"Mas ayos na yung kiss and tell kaysa naman yung hindi nila sasabihin na may iba pala sila," Julio muttered darkly.

"Eto nanaman tayo sa hugot eh," Margarita teased gently. "Forever ko nang pagtitiyagaan yan."

Julio couldn't tear his gaze away from her, couldn't kill the smile that lit up his face. _Hugot aside, naniniwala na ata ako ulit sa forever._

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 9:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Hefting his backpack, Julian followed Goyong and Manuel through the winding streets of the city central marketplace, phones in hand. They had been scouting the places where the girls were kidnapped - the night market slash grocery area and an equally busy street rife with eateries and small botiques.

Julian felt goosebumps rising as he compared the pictures they've printed out of the crime scenes and the actual areas. Everything seemed so  _normal,_ so delightfully mundane.

Life went on, business was as usual among the establishments that were still open at that hour. The locals who were aware of the kidnapping seemed uneasy though, glancing mistrustfully at people that they once would have considered potential customers.

"May nararamdaman akong medyo kakaiba," Goyong mused, sounding uneasy as he looked around. He stopped right in front of a dark side street leading to an array of slums. He rubbed his chest, right on his stitches. "Dito banda..."

"Anong meron?" Manuel asked, peering around as if to look for something odd.

Goyong shuddered. "Hindi ko din alam, pero may... may _something_ dito."

Julian peered at the picture that he was clutching of the most recent kidnapping, scowling as he wondered if there was any connection. He peered at the area, trying to look at it from all angles. With a chill, he realized that they were standing right in front of the place where the girl was dragged away by the kidnapper - Aguinaldo's doppleganger.

_Shit, anong gagawin namin?_

"Dito sila biglang nawala nung anino," he said, trying to sound as calm as he could. It never worked - he had always been too transparent.

"Magic ba?" Goyong scuffed the rough sidewalk with his boot.

"Baka." Manuel stepped a little farther from the scant light of the lamppost, narrowing his eyes as he peered at something.

There was an odd, purple swirl on one side of walls that were laden with heavy graffiti. It didn't look so out of place there, which perfectly protected it from suspicion, but Julian knew that it was familiar - too familiar. It was the same marking on the wall in the city library, back when a mysterious murder victim from Plaridel, Bulacan, popped up in there under supposedly impossible circumstances.

Looking at his companions, he knew that they were well aware of what they were looking at too.

Goyong touched the marking and flinched. "Punyeta, para akong nakuryente."

Julian reached out to touch it and frowned. It didn't have such an adverse effect on him, though he felt a cold tingle in his gut. "What if..." He paused, making sure that he had their attention. "What if ginagamit nila to para makalipat ng lugar? Parang teleportation?"

"Alam niyo, at this point, hindi na ako magtataka." Manuel frowned. "Pero hindi parin nito sinasagot kung paano natin maililigtas yung mga kinikidnap ni Dolores."

Julian nodded. He withdrew his hand from the marking and stood up. "Pero it's a start."

There was a sudden, strong breeze followed by the sound of faint footsteps. Dolores emerged from the dark end of the street, dressed in a smart white blouse and a black, frilly skirt. She smirked at the trio.

"Huwag niyo nang subukan," she said, her voice sounding younger, lighter. "Hindi rin kayo makakahanap ng sagot."

"So nakakabasa ka na ng isip gaya ni Edward Cullen ngayon - ah, hindi, Lord Voldemort ka pala, ano?" Goyong stepped forward, fists clenched. "Anong ginawa mo kay Jay? Alisin mo yung sumpa niya!"

"Aalisin ko iyon kung ibibigay mo ang sarili mo sa akin," Dolores said, her smirk widening.

"Fuck you." Goyong lunged at her, but Dolores slipped from underneath his grip.

Julian and Manuel tried to restrain her but she summoned a gust of wind with a flick of her hand, sending all three men tumbling against one of the walls in a heap. She made her way to the purple swirl that they were investigating, touched it, and was gone.

"Tangina, andyan na pero nawala pa," Manuel spat. "Anong ginawa niya? Nanakot lang?"

"Ganyan siyang magoperate," Julian confirmed. "Ginagamit niya ang takot para mas lalong magmukhang malakas."

Goyong clenched his fists, shaking. He was still angry over what Dolores had done to Jay - which Julian understood. He wasn't sure if he would be able to control his rage if something similar happened to Tina.

The boy general made his way to the marking again, touching it despite the pain that it was clearly causing him. "Shit, naiintindihan ko na ata," he growled. "Nagiging sensitive ata ako sa mga lugar kung saan siya gumagamit ng - ng magic niya." He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. "Pumunta siya sa may bandang... bandang norte ng Angeles. Pero hindi ko alam kung saan."

"Maraming lugar sa may bandang norte ng Angeles." Julian frowned, rubbing his chin. "Balibago? Pandan? Pulung Cacutud? Magandang hideout lahat ng yun."

Manuel nodded grimly. "At least may konting lead na tayo."

That was putting an overly positive spin on the matter, but Julian knew that they all needed a bit of positivity in these troubled days.

The dark events that have been surrounding them have been choking them all, pulling them deeper and deeper into fear and sadness. Julian was glad to grab every ray of sunshine that he could. They all had to, or else they would all drown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayan, walang angst!


	10. King and Lionheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team makes a discovery.

_Julio had no idea who sent the letter to him, or what it was all about. Something at the back of his old, tired mind told him that he should have known, that he should have been anticipating this all along. He decided to at least honor the request, wondering what he, at his age, could still provide to help the sender._

_A shadow fell over him as he looked up from the desk where he had been studying the letter. A girl was standing right in front of him, watching him malevolently. She was dressed in the fashion of an era long gone, and her eyes glinted with an odd darkness that wasn't just a product of his fading eyesight._

_"Paano ka nakapasok dito?" he finally asked._

_Her smile was absolutely terrifying. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his ear. "Marami akong paraan na hindi mo alam, Ginoo. Hindi niyo ako mapipigilan ni Plaridel."_

_Shadows seemed to gather around her as she leaned back and grabbed him by the neck. He felt the strength drain out of him and before he knew it, everything was gone in a rush of black._

**Sunday, 03-20-16, 10:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julio arrived home sore, tired, but happy. Most of the people at home seemed to be upstairs already, preparing for the next day. Julian, Goyong, and Manuel were quietly talking in the living room in troubled voices.

They looked up and stopped their discussion as he locked the main door behind him.

"Carry on lang mga bro, hindi naman ako importante," he said as he shuffled to the stairs, rubbing his back sorely.

Julian smirked at him, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Dapat pa ba naming itanong kung may nangyari sa inyo ni Margarita, hm?"

Julio winced. Was it that obvious too? "Foul."

"Foul ka din nung tinanong mo ako," Julian pointed out bluntly.

Julio's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Touche tayo diyan."

"Wag ka munang umakyat," Goyong said suddenly. He took out his phone and approached Julio, an apprehensive look on his face.

Julio peered at the picture shown to him - that of a random wall filled with the usual street graffiti. Goyong pointed at a small, purple swirl in one part of it. Julio frowned, noting that it was familiar but couldn't point out where he saw it before.

Goyong fiddled with his phone until he was able to pull up another picture - the picture that Rusca took of the crime scene in the city library. The exact same swirl could be seen on one part of the muddy wall.

Julio looked up, feeling a quiet pang of horror slowly building up in his gut. "Si Dolores?" he asked.

Julian nodded. "May mga theory na kami tungkol sa mga ibang powers niya, pero hindi parin kami sigurado kung paano ito makakatulong sa atin."

"So anong kinalaman nito sa kanya?" Julio asked with a frown.

"Sa ngayon naconfirm na namin na ginagamit niya yan para makalipat sa ibang lugar," Manuel finally said. "Teleportation, kumbaga."

Teleportation. In another time, a younger him would have laughed and scoffed at that theory. In the present though, he was more ready to believe that anything could go when it came to Dolores and supernatural matters. "Alam niyo ba kung pwede nating itrace yung mga pinupuntahan niya?"

Goyong shook his head sadly. "Alam kong pumunta siya sa bandang norte ng Angeles pero hanggang doon lang." He paused, rubbing his chest anxiously. "Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba ito sa medyo... kakaiba ako. Pero nararamdaman ko yung ibang kapangyarihan niya."

Julio noted that. Maybe they could find a way to harness Goyong's newfound skill to track down the newest kidnap victim and save her. It was a long shot, but it was still something to think about.

**Tuesday, 03-22-16, 5:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Julio had just finished packing up and was about to haul himself out of the print shop when he saw Jay hovering outside, phone in hand. He rarely saw her alone, and he wondered if something was wrong. She waved as she saw him peering, and he exchanged glances with his approaching brother.

Julian shrugged, equally clueless. "Tara, tignan natin kung anong problema."

Upon closer look, Jay was actually with Goyong. They were both talking in urgent whispers which stopped as the twins arrived. Goyong beamed at them.

"Kailangan namin yung tulong niyo - bisita sana ulit tayo dun sa lugar kung saan nangyari yung mga kidnapping," he said. "May gusto lang kaming tignan habang medyo maliwanag pa."

Julio glanced at Julian, who nodded. Despite the fact that they'd only need one of them to drive, this was going to be something worth seeing. "We're in," they said.

Of course, Julio was the one who ended up with passengers. It seemed like for all their closeness in their past life, Goyong couldn't trust Julian's driving abilities. _Maganda yan, kasi ako din hindi_. He remembered the total wreck that they've gotten into during their ten year stay in Bulacan.

Jay was busy studying the pictures that they had of the kidnappings, the snapshots that were of the crime scenes. "Mahirap pang maghanap ng pattern dahil dalawa palang yung mga biktima, ano?" she mused.

"Pero kahit anong pagkakapareho meron naman siguro, ano?" Goyong asked. "Maliban na lang na sa may palengke nangyari pareho?"

"Magkalapit lang ng edad," Jay noted idly. "Pareho silang sixteen, mga college freshmen. May mga puwesto sa palengke yung mga magulang."

"What if doon kumukuha si Dolores dahil crowded doon at mas madaling makagawa ng panic - o mas madaling manakot?" Julio frowned as he thought of all the possibilites for Dolores preying on the same area. "O baka nagiiwan lang siya ng warning sa atin."

Goyong and Jay exchanged uncomfortable looks before turning back to him. It seemed like they were thinking around the same line of thought.

"Warning siguro na pwede siyang mambulabog kahit saan," Goyong said darkly.

**Tuesday, 03-22-16, 5:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Leaving the cars on one of the parking areas in the less crowded part of the central marketplace, the twins led the way to the next few blocks. Julian felt an apprehensive flutter in his gut as he thought of their encounter with Dolores, and the fact that she could materialize in the area any time that she wanted to.

_Imposible na ata kaming mawala sa radar niya._

He usually got a thrill from putting himself in danger, but even his daredevil self feared Dolores. Encountering that woman would never bring any maddening excitement to his life. Not even the most extreme thrillseeker would be happy with her existence - especially since she was an extremely murderous witch in the most literal sense. _Mas fitting yung bitch, sa totoo lang_.

They passed by the night market area first. Since it was still broad daylight, the regular supply shops were still open. People milled in and out of the establishments, giving the place a semblance of normalcy. They hadn't found any markings from Dolores' magic in the area yet, and scouring walls amidst the crowd drew stares.

Jay suddenly stopped working as they passed by a shop selling baking supplies. She raised a hand to her chest, a surprised look on her face. She glanced at her companions and frowned. "Hindi niyo ba naramdaman yun?" she asked quickly.

Goyong frowned as he approached her worriedly. "May problema? Anong naramdaman mo?"

Jay glanced at her three companions. She stepped back, then stepped forward again. "Dito lang banda, tangina." She frowned and glanced at the picture that she was clutching. "Dito nila nila nakuhanan ng picture yung nakidnap na bata." She raised the picture that she was clutching.

_Shit, dito nga._

Julian frowned, looking around for any signs of the purple swirl. There was nothing in there, and he couldn't feel anything odd. He scuffed a small pebble with his worn out sneaker. "Anong meron dito?"

Jay closed her eyes and began to walk, as if trying to retrace someone's steps. "Pumunta sila dito," she said, plunging through a side street that led to the wet market, which would have been abandoned at night.

"Anong ginagawa mo?" Julio asked in amazement as they followed the lone female in their group, squelching through the muddy road.

"Daramdaman ke ing yapak na ning anino keni." Nararamdaman ko yung yapak ng anino dito. Jay sounded so confident that it would be difficult to doubt her. "Hindi ko alam ipaliwanag pero..."

"Parang noong naramdaman ko yung magic ni Dolores," agreed Goyong. He frowned as he rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Pero hindi ka naman imortal."

Julian frowned. "Kung ganun, medyo malayo yung nilakad niya dito kumpara doon sa pangalawang kidnapping incident."

Jay stopped near the stairs leading to the indoors area of the wet market, frowning. "Tumigil siya dito," she noted.

Julian looked around for the now familiar swirl and spotted it on the small yellow pillar right behind Julio. He touched it again, though it still did nothing but cause a tugging chill in his gut. He supposed he was too mundane to sense anything else with it - if there was anything truly mundane about being a reincarnated soldier, that is.

They crowded over the symbol, ignoring the stares they were receiving from the denizens of the wet market. "Dito siya tumigil - ginamit niya ba ito para pumunta sa ibang lugar?" Jay asked curiously.

"Oo." Goyong ran his fingers on the pillar and shuddered, clearly in some kind of pain. "Norte din. Hindi ko lang alam saan sa norte."

Jay reached out to knock his fingers off the marking and touched it herself. She sucked up her breath and staggered back, clutching her chest. "Oo, gawa nga ni Dolores yan," she winced. "Nagreact yung sumpa ko eh."

"Teka, may idea ako." She motioned for Goyong to touch the marking again and placed her hand on top of his. "Nasasaktan ka kanina, diba? Nasasaktan ka pa ba?"

He shook his head and looked up at her. "Ikaw?"

"Hindi rin, pero alam ko na kung saan papunta yung magic nito. Sa Balibago." Jay frowned. "Parang sa may Fields Avenue."

Fields Avenue was one the most infamous areas in Balibago, which was the city's entry point to Clark Airbase. It housed numerous beer gardens and also served as the city's most popular red light district. It was definitely shady enough to serve Dolores' needs, though.

"Fields? Mapapasabak tayo dito," noted Julio.

Julian made a face. "Mapapasabak, indeed."

**Bonus**

**Tuesday, 03-22-16, 6:00 PM, Angeles City Proper**

They returned to the other marking that they discovered the other night, wondering if Goyong and Jay's newfound abilities could also help them figure out if the other marking led to the same place. Goyong listened as Jay talked about the flashes she saw of the area where the marker led to.

"Parang... may naiwan na, um, imprint yung kulam ni Dolores," she was explaining cautiously. "Di ko rin maipaliwanag ng maayos..."

"Ayos lang," he assured her, wondering if their mission was taking a toll on her body. He was starting to regret not taking a medical course even just once, leaving him clueless on what he could do to help her.

"So nararamdaman niyo yung mga magic ni Dolores at ng mga anino niya dahil sobrang lakas yung pagkasumpa niya sa isa sainyo, at naging temporary immortal na may permanent healing factor yung isa," Julio was saying behind them. "Parang negative at positive _thingy_..."

"Yin yang," Julian noted with a nod. "Balance."

Yin yang... Goyong recalled the numerous Philosophy subjects that he had to take throughout the years. It did make sense. He was all but a monster in human form and yet he received a curse that proved to be beneficial - the agelessness was thankfully just temporary, as he was mostly normal again as of last December, and yet he still had his healing factor against illness and any injury not inflicted by supernatural forces.

Then there was Jay, who was anything but bright and fantastic, and yet she was the one who was suffering from a fatal curse. If they understood it correctly, her heart was cursed to stop on the fifteenth of July - all because Dolores wanted him to give himself up to her. He hated feeling helpless when he saw her being bothered by the pain that was constantly being inflicted on her by her condition.

It wasn't fair, but he understood what Julian meant.

Their wildly different curses balanced each other - the positive and the negative. He didn't want to put her in danger but they had no choice. It seemed like they had to work together to stop the kidnapping and maybe even find a way to get rid of Dolores.

They stood in front of the second marker, and he reached out to touch it. It felt like a strong electric current was running painfully throughout his body while his thoughts seemed to be drawn to the northern part of the city. The five seconds it took for Jay to place her hand atop his was agonizing, but it all faded when their hands touched. He couldn't sense anything anymore - not even the magnetizing feeling.

"Walking Street," Jay whispered, her breath tickling the side of his cheek. "Sobrang lapit lang sa Fields."

"Medyo delikadong magikot doon, pero hindi naman masamang magimbestiga," he told her.

They would do it together, of that he was sure. They needed their odd abilities to figure out this mystery and stop the kidnapping spree. He just hoped that he would be able to protect her this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3 Well, may ibubugaw na ba tayo?


	11. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian leads and investigation and Goyong is planning another.

_A warm breeze tugged at his shirt as Julian made his way to the del Rosario household, wondering why his parents forced him to dress in his best. His mother merely smiled when he asked, and his father just told him to wait and see. A part of him whispered that he should have been expecting whatever was about to happen._

_He had been friends with Tina del Rosario for as long as he could remember, after all, part of the same ragtag bunch of teens who had grown up together as friends. They were no children now - he was sixteen, and Tina fifteen, but there was still a certain sort of closeness that he only reserved for her._

_Tina's parents were waiting for them, both of them dressed in their best too. They greeted his parents warmly and smiled at him. They were led through the lavish hallway and into the cozy living room, where Tina was seated at the edge of a wooden chair, hands on her lap. She was anything but unkempt for the first time since he met her._

_Her father nodded, giving him permission to seat beside her. "Hindi naman namin ipagkakait yan, lalo na't ipapangako na kayo sa isa't isa."_

_"Ipapangako po?" he asked, surprised. He should have been expecting it, with the way that the del Rosarios have been eyeing him for the past few weeks. Then again, he was still young and quite naive to the way that some things in the world worked._

**Friday, 03-25-16, 6:30 PM, Holy Angel Village**

Julian's knees shook in quiet anxiety over the fact that Tina would be introducing him to her father that day. He knew that he shouldn't be, but there he was, feeling like a mess inwardly. He parked right outside the del Rosario household, spotting Antonio Luna jogging in the distance. He mentally slapped himself for forgetting that he lived in the same community. He hoped that he wouldn't overhear any potentially humiliating thing that Julian would end up saying.

He steeled himself, headed for the front door and knocked.

Tina let him inside with a big smile. She took his hand and led him in, making him feel braver with her warmth. It was just like the old days, he had to keep reminding himself. There was nothing to fear.

Mr. del Rosario was waiting for them, a tall, round faced man wearing thick eyeglasses. He nodded to Julian formally and held out his hand. "Marco del Rosario."

"Julian del Pilar po." He took Mr. del Rosario's hand and shook it, surprised that he didn't sound terrified or intimidated at all. "Boyfriend po ng anak niyo."

Tina beamed. "Gentleman po siya, ano, 'tay?"

Mr. del Rosario's lips quirked up in a smile, enhancing his resemblance to his daughter. "Mukha nga."

Julian answered the man's question as honestly as he could - his hometown, where he currently lived, even his family background. The del Rosarios winced when he mentioned his parents' separation, and the fact that his other siblings were still living in Bulacan with their mother. He was honest enough when he said that he and his brother did miss Pampanga, which was why they jumped at the first chance to go back.

He had never spoken so much about his past to anyone outside of the team, but it still felt cathartic.

At least Mr. del Rosario seemed content with his answers. He smiled as he reclined on his chair, surveying Julian with approval. "Alam kong hindi ako dapat manghusga pero gusto kita para sa anak ko. Ingatan mo siya."

"Promise ko po yan," he said quietly. _Hindi ko na po uulitin yung ginawa ko dati._

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 9:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julian had just cleaned up after breakfast when Jose cornered him in the kitchen with a mischievous smile. "Bro," the latter greeted jovially. "Hindi ka naman siguro busy ngayon, ano?"

"Hindi naman, wala akong lakad." Julian wiped his hands on the dishcloth and turned to face his friend. "May kailangan ka ba?"

"Nakapaghiram kami ni Joven ng dalawang set ng uniform kay Kuya Andoy para maumpisahan na natin yung pagimbestiga sa mga kidnapping," Jose's smile widened. "Medyo may kalakihan yung mga damit, apat lang tayong magkakasya. Medyo hapit kay Rusca at masyadong maluwang kay Julio."

"So ano yun, magkukunwari tayong pulis?" Julian frowned, knowing that there would be a lot of holes in that scheme.

Then again, Andres would probably be able to pull enough strings to give them some leeway on their own investigations. After all, he knew about the actual supernatural reasons surrounding the kidnapping cases.

Jose nodded vigorously and raised an eyebrow. "So sa ating dalawa magkakasya yung uniform. Ano, gora ka ba?"

Julian grinned. Of course, it was quite humdrum when compared to his usual daredevil standards, but he supposed that it was good enough. He wanted to hear what the witnesses in the area had to say, too.

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 4:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Paco, Rusca and Joven watched Julian and Jose as they marched down the stairs in the gear loaned by Andres. Rusca's lips lifted in an appraising smirk as he eyed their getup. "Wag niyong sasabihing may police kink ang mga girlfriend niyo."

"Pakyu, bro," Jose said cheerily as he smoothed down his shirt and secured his belt.

Julian smiled, filing that joke away. He did seriously consider asking Tina about it the next time that they saw each other.

"Iba yung ngiti ni Julian oh," Joven noted with a small chuckle. "May masama ba kayong binabalak?"

"Masamang masama, bro." Julian said with a smirk.

Paco's appraisal was luckily more reasonable. "Basta i-maintain niyo lang yung military stance niyo diyan at convincing na kayong mga pulis."

Joven hopped to his feet jingling his car keys happily. "Hindi naman ako magpapark sa malayo para agad tayong magkita in case na magkaroon ng kahit anong problema."

Jose nodded grimly. "Good idea yan. Kakarug ku." _Kinakabahan ako._

Julian followed Jose and Joven to the garage. His stomach fluttered in excitement, as something was telling him that they would be learning something that afternoon.

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 5:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

The sounds and smell of the wet market provided an apt background as Julian and Jose made their way to the area where the kidnapping took place. The warm weather made the rough uniform chafe against Julian's skin, but he didn't mind. What made him uncomfortable was the fact that the duo's current getup made people gave him a wide berth.

Julian felt his stomach churn, remembering the mixture of awe and fear that a soldier's uniform once brought. He turned to Jose, who nodded to him.

They headed for the vegetable stand owned by the first victim's parents. The mother - a plump woman with wild curly hair and a floral apron - was sitting in one corner, talking sadly to her young helpers. They both looked up as the two approached.

"Ma'am Agustin po?" Julian asked quietly, adopting the colonel's tone that he was once so familiar with.

"Ako nga," the woman said sadly, her eyes weary from grief. "May kailangan po ba kayo?"

Julian felt his knees wobble at the sight of her. He understood the state that she was in - it was how it was for him, after Tirad. He hated the reminder, but he hated seeing the mother grieve even more. It wasn't fair to her, wasn't fair to her daughter.

"Gusto lang po naming magtanong ng mga kaunting bagay tungkol sa - sa nangyari sa anak niyo." Julian stuttered, remembering an old memory - that of the mother he used to have, grieving for the young son she lost to war.

The woman nodded, led them to the back area of her stall, where they huddled between buckets of water and empty crates that used to hold fresh vegetables.

"Wag po kayong magalala, madam," Jose said, sounding uncharacteristically formal. "Hindi po makakalabas ang paguusapan natin dito."

"Alam po naming naitanong na po ng paulit ulit sainyo ito." Julian steeled himself as he took out his phone to record the conversation. "Pero gusto po naming malaman ulit yung lahat ng nangyari nung araw na nawala po yung anak niyo. Ayos lang po kung mayroong mga... kakaibang nangyari doon na mahirap ipaliwanag. Yan po yung expertise namin."

The woman's lips wobbled and she began to sob. She told them of her daughter, who had been acting oddly for three days before her disappearance. The girl had been seen meeting with someone much older, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties at the most, but a strange haze seemed to have caught the people who saw them. No one tried to probe on this odd meeting, and no one could actually recall what he looked like.

That was the same reason that no one lent a helping hand when the kidnapping ocurred. The bystanders all felt rooted to their spots, reduced to watching as the girl got dragged away by a man whose features they couldn't even recall clearly.

No one had mentioned much on that odd phenomena that they experienced in regards to with the odd man. After all, who would believe them if they mentioned that the existence of a mere person could alter their memories, affect their thoughts, freeze them in their places? The woman luckily seemed to believe that Julian and Jose, at least, would consider her words on the matter.

Another chilling thing was the fact that the witnesses all seemed to agree that the doppleganger and the girl disappeared in plain sight - at the very area where they spotted the swirl that marked Dolores' transportation magic.

"Miong ata yung tawag sakanya ni Joy," she added. "Nirerecruit daw siya sa ABC Hotel sa Balibago."

"ABC Hotel? Malapit pareho sa Fields at Walking Street yan," Jose pondered.

They thanked the woman and moved on to their next destination.

The second victim's father was the owner of a small DVD stall wedged in between an electronics shop and a bakery. They mostly got the same details, that the girl, Martha, had been acting a bit oddly for a few days before she had disappeared, and had been meeting a man before them. The father seemed more open about the odd things occurring at the sight of the unfamiliar man, and was unfazed by the kidnapping.

"Meron pa akong limang mga anak na dapat pakainin at paaralin," he said dismissively.

Julian and Jose exchanged glances as they thanked him and prepared to live.

That was when the father finally confessed one piece of information - that he actually egged the girl on when he found out that she had been meeting with the man, having heard that he was working for a prostitution bar. "Sayang din yung extra income," the father had mentioned in a calm, callous manner.

**Bonus**

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 7:45 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Goyong paced as the group finished listening to the recordings that Julian and Jose took of their interviews. His mind raced with possibility upon possibility, wondering what their next step should be.

"Posibleng hideout niya pareho yung hotel at yung bar," he noted. "Hindi pa ako nagawi doon, mahirap makaisip ng mga pwedeng mangyari."

"Nagshortcut na kami doon dati," Rusca said worriedly as they surveyed an online map of the Balibago area. He pointed at the general areas of the hotel and the bar that were mentioned. "Medyo prominent yung bar, at sabi nung classmate ko noon eh may boarding house siya sa likod para sa mga employees."

"Suki ba siya doon?" Jose asked with a mirthful laugh.

Rusca shrugged nonchalantly though. "Basta yun lang yung alam ko, ha."

"Pero alam nating nandoon sila sa general area kung saan papunta yung magic ni Dolores," Jay mused. She glanced at the boy general, a gleam of reckless excitement in her eyes. "So dahil may, um, superpowers tayo pag magkasama tayo, edi tayo nalang yung magimbestiga doon."

Goyong nodded. As much as he wanted to keep her out of trouble, they needed each other - and besides, she would probably find a way to worm herself into their adventure. He'll just have to stay by her side. "Mukhang tayo nga dapat."

"Delikado kung kayong dalawa lang, at delikado din kung sobrang dami yung pupunta doon." Julio leaned forward, lips crooked up in an excited smile. "I volunteer myself as tribute para samahan kayo."

"Ako din," Julian said, not wanting to be left out of a potentially death defying adventure. "Apat, not bad na ano?"

Goyong nodded. "Kailangan din natin ng magmamaneho ng getaway car, yung nakaabang na sa sasakyan kung sakaling may mangyaring hindi kanais nais." He glanced at Jay, wondering if her body could really handle it.

Jay stuck out her tongue at him, knowing very well what he meant.

"Ako na yung bahala diyan," Manuel offered. "Kasyang kasya naman tayong lahat sa Revo."

"Maglookout din kami ni Jose sa may entrance ng walking street," added Cat. "Kasya naman siguro yung pito sa sa sasakyan, ano? Kami ng bahalang pumigil in case na magpakita si Dolores doon okaya yung mga anino niya."

Goyong watched the team, who seemed to murmur their consent in regards to the plan. It wasn't the best, and it was made up in a rush, but he supposed that they had no other option.

"So kelan niyo balak gawin to?" Vince asked worriedly.

Time was of the essence, especially as their investigation may help them save the second girl and prevent further kidnappings. The night was young and it was a lovely Saturday evening - the perfect cover for them to hop into the city's infamous red light district.

"Bigyan niyo ako ng tatlong oras," Goyong finally said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so some of you know, red light district = pugad ng prostitution :)))


	12. Check Yes Juliet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The members of Team del Pilar go on detective mode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW-ish yung first part, if ayaw niyo, scroll down na sa flashback. You know who to blame.

**Bonus**

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 8:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Jay stared at herself in the mirror as she took off her top, wondering what kind of disguise she could use. Going through the city's infamous red light district as a woman was definitely not safe, no matter how heavily armed she would be. Then again, hiding her awkwardly big breasts and prominent hips was a problem that she would have to deal with.

She didn't know how long she stood there, glaring at her body and the silvery scars that her mother left on her pale torso.

The door creaked open and Goyong stepped in. He froze at the sight of her, vivid red flooding his cheeks. "Hindi ko alam na - na nagbibihis ka," he stammered, preparing to leave.

"Ayos lang," she assured him, mentally slapping herself for not locking the door. She was lucky that the person who walked in on her was someone that she was definitely comfortable with. She motioned to her body with a timid smile. "Tignan mo, ang hirap itago nito."

"Bakit, balak mo bang magpanggap na lalaki sa field trip natin?" he asked, shutting the door behind him with a soft laugh. "Siguro nga pinaka... mainam na nga yun dahil sa pupuntahan nating lugar, ano?"

Her chest ached as she watched him, and she was sure that it wasn't just because of Dolores' curse. _Nauuhaw na ata ako_. She hasn't slept with him yet, but it was awfully tempting at that moment. She bit down her tongue though, fighting off the urge to pin him to the bed and start taking off his clothes.

It had to wait until she got a clearer picture of Poleng's past.

He smiled nervously, oblivious to her thoughts, and motioned to the pile of clothes that he was bringing, setting them down carefully on her bed. "Sabi ni Cat, mas magiging convincing daw kung, um, magdisguise ka nalang daw bilang... call girl." He said the last words in a whisper, as if afraid of angering her.

Despite the stigma that the call girls of Balibago had, she wouldn't have minded disguising as one of them if necessary. The problem was that she would have looked - and acted awkward - if they got her into their most typical getup.

"Tank top na sobrang hapit... denim jacket... mini skirt... no... fishnet stockings?" She paused as she sifted through the clothes. "Gregorio, no."

He smiled, grabbed her wrists to keep her in place. "Maaari ba?" he asked. She nodded, and he planted a kiss on the largest scar in the middle of her chest once, twice, thrice. "Pasensya na, ito lang talaga yung maisip namin."

"Hindi pwede, magmumukha lang akong tanga," she said, closing her eyes and fighting back a shudder. _Pakshet, nauuhaw nga ako_. "Convince me."

His lips trailed across her chest, lingering at her most sensitive spots and eliciting quiet moans from her. "Akong bahala," he whispered in between kisses. "Hindi naman kita pababayaan." He began to suck on her skin, making her tremble from the fiery sensations.

She felt like exploding as goosebumps arose upon her suddenly sensitive torso. It seemed like he would do anything necessary to convince her. She didn't want to push anything too far - yet. "Sige na nga."

* * *

_His fingers never shook as he bent down to write on the piece of paper that would seal his fate for the next few years. He could feel all eyes upon him, his brother most of all. He wrote down his name fearlessly, chose the nom de guerre Leon._

_He would be the fearless lion who would fight for freedom. He glanced at Goyong, who watched him expectantly. He promised his mother that the two of them would go home, and he would do his best to make sure he doesn't fail on it._

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 10:45 PM, Fields Avenue, Balibago**

The sight and sounds and smells assailed Julio's senses as they walked down the winding alleyway. Bright lights and music blared from a multitude of establishments that ranged from high end bars to ramshackle wooden ones. They followed Jay as she wove through the wild crowd, trying to track down the kidnapper's steps.

"Sigurado akong dumaan siya dito," she was saying. She kept fidgeting under her loud, revealing clothes, obviously uncomfortable with her otherwise convincing disguise.

"Wala ka bang nararamdaman na weird? Um, ibig kong sabihin eh kung may ginawa siya dito?" Julian asked nervously. His eyes kept darting around at some nearby call girls who were watching them with obvious interest.

Jay shrugged as she paused and hurled herself into a small side alley lined with dingy buildings that seemed to act like motels and boarding houses. "Alam ko lang kung saan siya dumaan - mas recent, mas malakas yung pakiramdam."

Julio looked around, highly aware that dragging a girl to this place wouldn't have drawn any curiosity. It happened all the time, after all. Just thinking of it that way sent a random wave of sadness down his gut. _Yung mga ibang babae dito, siguro biktima lang_ din.

"Hindi parin natin nahahanap yung marka ni Dolores dito," Goyong noted with a wince.

"Mukhang mahirap yan, bro. Kasing hirap ng paghanap ng forever." Julio shook his head and motioned at the crowd and buildings around them. "Sa tingin ko, pinili niya yung lugar na ito kasi madaling magtago sa dami ng tao sa paligid mo."

Julian nodded sagely. _"Ali malaut." Hindi malayo._ He looked around grimly. "Pati yung marka ni Dolores mas madaling itago sa ganitong klaseng lugar."

A passing foreign man groped Jay's backside from under her skirt. She squealed before remembering that she was supposed to be liking it. She batted her eyelashes awkwardly at the man, smiling languidly before an unhappy Goyong pulled her close. He seemed to be regretting the disguise that he and Cat came up with.

Jay stopped again, lifting a hand briefly to touch her chest before setting off to another side area in a sprint. They found themselves in a dark, damp alley full of abandoned buildings and a small pile of garbage. Julio couldn't help but crinkle his nose - the smell of rot and dirt was too overwhelming. He paused, thinking that the smell wasn't _normal_ at all, despite the garbage surrounding them.

He exchanged horrified glances with Julian, who seemed to realize the same thing.

Goyong paused with a frown. "Amoy patay."

"Patay - as in bangkay?" Jay stopped, arms slightly lifted like a bird about to take flight... or maybe a _dragon_.

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 11:15 PM, Fields Avenue, Balibago**

Julian felt his skin crawling - no wonder the smell was so familiar. He knew it very well in his past life as a revolutionary of the Katipunan, then as a soldier during the war with the Americans. It was the smell of a body that had been dead for quite some time. He fought back the bile that burned his throat.

As if reaching an unspoken agreement, the four of them stood close together. It was almost like they were expecting Dolores and her dopplegangers to attack. Julian looked around warily as Jay took one step forward, glaring at a shadowy area where a certain _something_ was sprawled.'

Julian steeled himself as they followed Jay to the thing she had been peering at - a corpse. It was the second girl, wearing the same clothes she had when she was kidnapped, her face contorted in a look of horror, her skin dried to resemble that of a mummy's. Her glassy eyes seemed to glow eerily, reflecting the faint moonlight above them.

_Nahuli nanaman kami._

A quiet, white hot sort of anger seemed to choke him. They were too late to save the second girl. "Putangina."

"Puntangina, indeed," Goyong growled, looking around angrily. He took out his phone, setting up its camera. "Tawagan niyo si Ka Andres."

Julian nodded, still seething. He turned to his brother grimly. "May number ka ng Supremo, diba?"

Julio looked down as he fumbled with his phone, locating the number in question and putting the call in loud speaker. "Akala ko pa naman maililigtas pa natin siya."

"Ako din," agreed Julian.

Andres answered their call immediately. "Hello?"

"Bro, nandito kami sa may Fields," Julio rambled. "May nasundan kaming lead tungkol kay Dolores."

"Lead ba talaga yan, o may ginagawa kayong kabulastugan?" asked Andoy. He paused, then chuckled at their startled silence. "Biro lang, kilala ko naman kayo. Anong nangyari?"

The twins described the interrogation that took place that afternoon, and the deductions that they have. Julian was sure that they had the policeman's undivided attention when they also got around to mentioning Jay's odd ability to track down the doppleganger's footsteps, and the way she and Goyong managed to trace the area where Dolores' magic led to.

"Sigurado akong nakunan niyo na ng pictures yung eksena diyan," Andres said confidently. "Kilala ko kayo."

"Oo, sina Goyong at Jay yung bahala doon," Julian confirmed grimly.

"Sige, ako nang bahala sa bangkay. Alis na kayo diyan para hindi magmukhang suspicious. Magiingat kayo." With that, the former Supremo ended the call.

Having finished taking pictures of the area and the corpse, Goyong mentioned that it was time to leave. They somberly marched out of the dark alleyway and seamlessly blended with the crowd.

They had barely gotten back to the main area of Fields Avenue that spilled into the entrance to Walking Street when a pair of young men running around barreled into Julian and Jay. He had barely fallen flat on the sidewalk when they took off in a sprint.

"Ayos lang ba kayo?" Julio asked, eyes wide.

Julian nodded, patting himself down. His phone and wallet were still tucked away inside the inner pocket of his green hoodie, so everything was still in order. His right elbow felt bruised, though.

"Fuck, yung engagement ring ko," Jay growled all of a sudden.

She prepared to take off her stilletos and run after the thieves but before she could, Goyong already bolted away.

**Bonus**

**Saturday, 03-26-16, 11:30 PM, Fields Avenue, Balibago**

Ignoring his companions' shouts and warnings, Goyong ran after the man who grabbed his girlfriend's engagement ring. Anger coursed through him as he wove through the crowd, struggling to keep the snatchers in sight.

He followed them into a dark alley that was devoid of life aside from a young woman in a white dress who was talking frantically on her phone. She barely spared them a glance.

"Ibalik niyo yung singsing ng fiancee ko, gago," Goyong growled as he caught up to them at the dead end. "Ayokong manakit."

"Ang lakas ng loob mong magsalita," one of the men jeered. "Magisa ka lang. _Lupang ali ka pa armadu." Mukhang di ka pa armado._

The other man sneered and whipped out a gun in a flash, shooting Goyong right through the neck. The boy general staggered back as he felt the same exact searing pain that should have killed him in Tirad. He could feel his neck knitting back together, but it was slow - too slow. His head was spinning from the sudden blood loss, hating the fact that the bullet retraced the wound he got all those years ago.

The snatchers watched in horror as they realized that he was still standing and definitely unhappy. He stalked toward them and bashed their heads together while they stood there, stunned, knocking them out. He patted their clothes over calmly until he found Jay's ring, tucked it into his hoodie's pocket, and turned away to leave.

He turned to see the girl in the other corner staring at him with curiosity. With a sudden, cold jolt, he realized that it was Adela Reyes, his aide from so long ago. She seemed a good four or five years younger than him, sporting what looked like a wedding ring. _Ang bata mo pa, ah._

"Ayos ka lang ba?" she asked, eyeing his slowly healing wound. She was looking at him as if she saw a dead man come back to life. Well, that was somewhat true. He should have been dead for over a century.

He pulled up his hood, trying to conceal his wound and the blood stains on his white undershirt. "Ayos lang ako, daplis lang."

"Daplis?" Her eyes narrowed. "Flesh wound pa yan sa lagay na yan?"

"Sa akin, oo." He smiled, not wanting to pull her into his world too. "Mag-iingat ka, binibini."

He walked away before she could pose further questions and bumped into Jay.

"Tangina mo," she growled, landing a punch on his face.

He guessed he deserved that.

Her eyes widened as she saw the wound on his neck and all the color drained from her face. She reached out to touch the wound, which began to rapidly heal. _Finally_.

He took her in his arms, nodding, and realized that she was trembing. "Tirad. Naaalala mo ang Tirad dahil dito. Patawarin mo ako."

She nodded after a while. "Uwi na tayo."

"Mabuti pa nga." Goyong sighed. It has been a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hihihihihihi.


	13. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone finally makes an appearance.

_He had barely finished his studies when he was swept up in the affairs of the Katipunan. Despite the fact that he truly did love the country and wanted to see it be free from oppression, everyone knew the actual reason why he was fighting tooth and nail with every skirmish that they were involved in. He wanted to see to it that he and his brother would go home safe and sound, like he assured their mother._

_He wanted to go home to Tina once everything had been said and done. He wanted to fulfill his promise and marry her._

* * *

_"Mas mahal mo na ata ang himagsikan kaysa sa akin," Tina said during that one time that he stopped by her home._

_"Hindi naman ako kagaya ni Gregorio," he said quietly. "Hindi na niya kayang umibig magmula noong nagumpisa ang himagsikan. Hanggang panandaliang ligaya na lamang ang kanyang hanap. Mahal kita, at uuwi muli ako sa iyo pagkatapos ng lahat."_

_Her face crumpled in sorrow as she took his hand. "Hindi na nga ata siya maaaring umibig sa iba pagkatapos ni Poleng." She paused, and stared at the cloudy sky. "Mag-iingat ka, Julian. Maghihintay ako para sa iyo."_

**Sunday, 03-27-16, 8:30 AM, Holy Rosary Parish Church**

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, the sky was blue, the air was pleasantly warm, and the church crowd was surprisingly small. The mass had just ended and Julio found himself walking in the courtyard hand in hand with Margarita. Her blue hair and pale ivory dress made her look like she was glowing, and he loved it. Her family's voices wafted from behind them, but neither of them paid any mind.

He had been up since earlier that morning, as Margarita had introduced him to her entire family. It was a confusing flurry of cousins and aunts and uncles who raised her communally, as her parents left her when she was three.

They were quite kind to him, though of course he wasn't able to escape their interrogation. It made him think of his siblings, and the fact that he missed them despite their regular bickering.

They even invited him to go to church with them, though he vaguely expected himself to burn up once he stepped into the building.

"So at least legal na tayo," Margarita said, eyes sparkling as they stepped through the church gates. "Mas gusto ka naman nila kaysa sa mga naging ex ko."

"Mga naging ex mo?" He couldn't help but reflect her grin as he followed her across the street. "Ilan na ba yan, ha?"

She just smirked as she followed him to his battered old black car. He fumbled for his car keys when he noticed a small envelope stuck on the windshield wipers.

Piqued by curiosity, he reached out to grab it. The envelope was quite small - just about the right size to sit on his palm. He exchanged glances with Margarita before he turned back to it.

He gingerly opened it and pulled out a small business card. It was for the most popular spot for costumes and craft supplies - Pine Rose Bazaar, wh was located in _Plaridel Square_. A large _P_ was written on a blank corner using a black marker. Julio blinked. _Plaridel. Marcelo del Pilar_.

**Sunday, 03-27-16, 8:45 AM, Plaridel Square**

The name of the area still amused Julian - a place called Plaridel Square in Plaridel Street just felt like overkill. He followed Tina through some craft shops as she searched for something or another. He really wasn't technical enough when it came to metalworking - he'd rather sit down with a pen and paper to draw - but he didn't mind helping her out.

"Naabala pa ata tuloy kita," she noted as she stepped out of another store, clutching her small list.

He gave her his brightest grin in exchange. "Hindi ka naman magiging abala para sa akin ah."

She hit his arm lightly. "Bolero."

His grin widened and he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Del Pilar ako, siyempre magaling akong sa pambobola."

 _"Aliwa ya talaga ing kamandag yu ne?" Iba talaga yung kamandag niyo, ano?_ She giggled and turned to the largest shop in the area - Pine Rose.

Julian froze when he heard his phone ring. A quiet sense of forebodding seized him when he saw his brother's name. Was something about to go wrong?

"Julian!" Julio's voice blared out the moment that he answered the call. "Nasa may palengke kayo, diba?"

"Oo, nasa may Plaridel kami," he confirmed.

Julio let out a huff of breath. "Nandiyan siya - si Senyor del Pilar."

"Senyor del Pilar - si Tito Selong?" Julian felt his skin crawling. He glanced at Tina and noticed her worried look. She must have noticed his anxiety. He shook his head reassuringly.

"Oo, mismo." Julio paused. A few seconds of silence ticked by before he began to talk about the envelope and the business card that he found in his car. "Sigurado akong siya yan."

Julian suppressed another shudder. "Sige, titignan namin para sayo."

"Sige, bro. Ingat." Julio sighed and ended the call.

Julian turned to Tina. He really felt lucky that he discussed almost everything about their current predicament to her. "Sa Pine Rose nga ba yung punta mo, babe?"

She nodded, confused. "Bakit?"

"Nandoon ata si Tito Selong." He took her warm hand and led the way to the store in question.

She tightened her grip on his hand as they stepped in, the faint breeze from the air conditioning system caressing their faces. The place was a little crowded due to the number of students who were buying last minute supplies for their school projects. Julian's eyes swept around the area as if he were surveying a battlefield, trying to locate Selong.

Julian's throat constricted when he finally spotted Selong. He was still tall and unshaven, his beard thick and wild and bushy, dressed smartly in a white polo shirt that was tucked into plain black slacks. He was standing by a small assortment of globes, arms crossed, eyes trained on the man who used to be his nephew.

A small, playful smile lit up his face as he caught Julian's gaze. He straightened up and approached the couple as if sending everyone on wild goose chases was a normal day to day activity for him.

"Ganitong ganito ang inaasahan ko sa muli nating pagkikita natin, Julian." Just like Goyong, Selong's modern accent still held faint traces of an old fashioned cadence, reminiscent of an era long gone.

Julian frowned. "Inasahan niyo pong dito tayo sa Pine Rose magkikita?"

"Mali ata ang ginamit kong salita." Selong's smile widened and he motioned to the door. He led the way out with a sweep of his arm. "Nakita ko na ganito yung magiging pagkikita natin."

"A-Ano?" Julian exchanged glances with Tina as they followed Selong to a somewhat secluded area of the commercial square.

"Sigurado akong alam niyo na kung ano ang nangyari kay Gregorio, ano?" Selong asked with a small frown. "Naghihilom agad ang mga sugat niya, at hindi siya tumanda ng ilang taon."

"Hanggang noong huling anniversary ng Tirad po," Julian confirmed. "Tumatanda na ulit siya, pero kasing tibay parin ni Wolverine yung healing factor niya."

Selong threw his head back and laughed at that. "Si Wolverine! Hindi ko nga naisip yan, hijo. Pero ganoon na nga - pareho sila ni Andoy, hindi ba?"

Julian nodded. "Yun po yung sinabi nila sa amin."

Selong turned to Tina with a smile. "Mabuti naman at iniingatan ka ni Hulyano."

Tina smiled predatorily. "Dapat lang po, Tito. Kawawa naman po siya kung hindi."

Julian cleared his throat. "Tito, hindi ko parin maintindihan."

"Mabuti na munang hindi." Selong smiled and turned to the road. "Kailangan nating magusap sa tahanan niyo."

**Sunday, 03-27-16, 9:15 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julian wasn't really sure how to deal with bringing a long dead uncle home, especially when the aforementioned long dead uncle was busy discussing arts and crafts with his girlfriend. Of course, things were becoming even more surreal when he thought about the fact that the aforementioned girlfriend was his wife from another life.

He parked in his usual spot in the garage and hopped out of the car. He still hadn't forgiven Julio over the _Ben 10_ jokes. At least Goyong was much nicer with his comments.

The rest of the team - including Cat, Nena, and Angela - were huddled by the back door, watching with excitement. Julian fumbled with his green hoodie as he led Selong to the Hernando siblings and Nonong, who were waiting at the head of the group.

"Senyor del Pilar?" Joven began. "Pasok po kayo."

"Salamat. Long time no see, hijo." A big smile quirked up Selong's lips as he beheld the last of the Hernandos.

A look of confusion passed Joven's face. "Long time... no see?"

Selong closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Oo nga pala, hindi mo maalala."

The team assembled at the living room, which was starting to get a little too cramped. Julian was perched on the bay window bench with Goyong, Julio, Rusca and Nonong. They all watched their visitor with rapt attention.

Selong wove a story of being resurrected in Spain - one of the descendants of the last babaylan, who was slowly sacrificing her youth to revive her descendants who were the most sensitive to the supernatural. "Isa sa mga huling tinuruan niya sa pagiging babaylan si Dolores," he explained. "Hanggang naghanap ng mas maraming kapangyarihan ang bata at gumamit ng kulam."

He spoke of the original Dolores Nable Jose, who had been dead even before Goyong arrived in Dagupan. It seemed like the witch had taken to surfing in between young, beautiful bodies in between sucking the youth and life out of young women. Dolores was the guise that she had stayed the longest in.

"Hindi naghihilom ang mga sugat ko, ngunit nakikita ko ang mga maaaring mangyari sa kinabukasan ko." Selong frowned, apologizing for the wild goose chase. He had to stay hidden under Dolores radar until the time was right, he confessed, or else all would be too late.

The Hernando household was originally owned by him - he had requested it to be built upon a precolonnial holy ground to keep Dolores away. He bequeathed it upon the Hernando family, knowing that it the witch would never be able to physically cross its treshold.

Dolores enchanted the right people, making sure that Antonio Luna and most of his aides were killed because Selong had asked one of them to pass over the equipment and instructions on creating the special blessed daggers - items which he later passed on to Julian's descendants and were currently hidden by his eldest sister.

He knew that the knives would be important but wasn't sure how making seven of them would help in Dolores' destruction. It was important that they did, it seemed, as the entire country will be in peril in her quest for immortality and power.

"Hindi ko alam ano, pero may mga dapat din tayong mahanap sa Bulacan at sa Baler." Selong finished. "Pero hindi pa panahon upang may ipadala tayo doon."

"Grabeng information overload naman po yan, Tito," Julian finally said amidst the stunned silence that followed the tale.

Selong nodded grimly. "Hindi ko din naiintindihan ang karamihan ng mga... visions... ko, pero ginawa ko ang lahat para matulungan kayo nang hindi nahuhuli ni Dolores." He paused, then flashed a smile reminiscent of Goyong. "Pero nakikita kong malapit na ang tamang panahon para malabanan natin siya."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, crappy chapter. Lutang/Sabog/Sakit mode. Info dump today, inspired by the Harry Potter books.


	14. Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian receives an omen. Vince observes.

_He had seen too much - been through too much. Death and destruction followed him around as long as he served the army and his brother, who had been promoted to general. He hated it when people compared him to Goyong. It seemed like no one could understand the fact that he wasn't there for prestige or power. He was there because he was a soldier, and because he promised to bring Goyong home safe and whole - or as whole as he could be with a ruined heart._

_The young women of Dagupan eyed them with interest as they rode down the dusty streets. He knew why they were headed for the Nable Jose household, and it definitely had nothing to do with a certain rich heiress._

_"Pakakasalan ko lamang siya dahil ipinagkasundo kami," Goyong said dourly._

_Julian remembered Goyong's tears when he had been told about Poleng's death just a few weeks ago. His brother had been closer to Felicidad Aguinaldo since then - until the president arranged a marriage between him and Dolores._

_"Alam ko namang may nararamdaman ka parin para kay Poleng," Julian pointed out quietly. He remembered the way she and his brother beheld each other - like they were the sun and moon of each others' lives._

* * *

_Mad laughter escaped his lips as they flogged an old friend to near death. He would suffer the consequences of his actions in the future and he knew it. They were just following orders, he knew that, but he was well aware of the fact that they were torturing someone who had nothing to hide, who had done no crimes against the president and the country._

_Nothing he could ever achieve in the future would let him atone for what he and his brother had just done to Manuel Bernal._

**Sunday, 03-27-16, 11:00 AM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Selong approached Julian shortly before lunch, a small smile on his face. "Alam kong may reunion ang pamilya sa Miyerkules."

"Meron nga po," he agreed. "Sabi niyo po may mga bagay bagay po kaying nakikita tungkol sa future. May nakikita po ba kayo na may kinalaman sa reunion? O sa mga kinikidnap ni Dolores?"

Selong closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he was having a bad headache. "Nakikita ko sa Walking Street si Goyong at ang kasintahan niya sa Miyerkules, naghahanap ng sagot sa mga nawawalang dalaga. Nakikita ko kayo ng kakambal mo sa Bulacan, naghahanap ng isang nawawalang kapatid."

"Wala po bang context yan?" Julian asked. _Nawawalang kapatid?_ "Pasensya na po kung makulit ako."

Selong sighed. "Mas malinaw ang mga nakikita ko noon," he said. "Kaya nakapagiwan ako ng mga bagay na makakatulong sa inyo. Pero hindi na maayos ang mga nakikita ko mula noong ika labinlima ng Marso."

Julian frowned. Did something happen on that day? Still, he thanked Selong and excused himself. Tina was waiting for him upstairs - they had an hour to themselves before lunch.

**Sunday, 03-27-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julian kept worrying about Selong's words long after he had left. He promised to visit soon, saying that they had important things to discuss.

_Nakikita ko kayo ng kakambal mo sa Bulacan, naghahanap ng isang nawawalang kapatid._

Technically, the only lost brother that Julian had was Goyong. Now that they were reunited, he couldn't really think of anyone else that he had to seek out. He'd disussed it with Julio, but Julio said that the only person he considered as a lost brother was Andres.

"May mangyayari ba sa mga kapatid natin?" he asked anxiously as he looked up from his phone. He had been perusing his siblings' Facebook accounts, wondering if there was something wrong. Everything still seemed to in order.

"Huy, sino yan?" a teasing, curious voice piped up.

Julian looked up to see Goyong peering at Ate Maria's profile picture, a sad, wistful look on his face.

"Alam ba nila na nandito ako?" Goyong asked quietly.

Julio shook his head. "It's not our secret to tell, bro. Hindi naman kami kagaya ng iba na kulang nalang pati ang sex life kinakalat sa madla."

Julian's lips quirked at his brother's choice of words. He moved aside to let Goyong sit down beside him. The wistfulness on the boy general's face intensified as he peered at the laptop screen.

"Hindi niyo sinabi sa akin na bumalik din sila," he said simply. "Mas mainam na rin siguro yun."

Julio leaned forward in concern. "Pamilya mo padin sila - at kami din, bro. Sigurado akong maiintindihan ka naman nila kung gusto mo silang makausap."

Goyong looked down and shook his head. "Salamat - pero siguro hindi muna sa ngayon."

Julian understood. Goyong probably felt like he would never fit in with them, especially after everything he went through. At the same time, he also longed for his family. It was the same thing that Julian felt after returning home from Tirad.

He had to find it in himself to ease himself back to the family that he had been distancing himself from.

**Tuesday, 03-29-16, 7:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He was feeling drowsy. They had just finished eating dinner, he had just made sure that everything was ready for their trip home to Bulacan for the reunion, and he had nothing better to do.

He watched the evening news idly, wedged on the long couch in between Rusca and Paco who were also watching. No kidnappings have been reported in the past few days, and Julian hoped that Dolores already had taken everything that she needed for the meantime. Girls should never be afraid of walking down any street.

That was when the news blared out about the new public kidnapping - which happened right outside a cluster of dorms near the Angeles University Foundation. A young nursing student named Felicidad Aguila was taken away, this time by force.

A great chill settled in the living room as the report ended.

"May bago nanamang biktima, ano?" Rusca said with a shudder, his eyes narrowing at the television as the news transitioned to showbiz.

Julian realized that his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. "Mukha nga." _Bakit ngayon pang papunta kami ng Bulacan?_

**Tuesday, 03-29-16, 8:30 PM, Brgy. Salapungan**

Vince followed Goyong and Jay as they lurked around the area where the kidnapping happened. The three of them volunteered to check out the place the moment that Julian and Paco broke the news to them. People were still milling about, murmuring anxiously to each other while a small group of policemen photographed the site and interviewed a number of people.

He cast his eyes around anxiously as he followed the couple through the street, seeking out that purple swirl that apparently marked a place that Dolores and her minions used to teleport from one place to another. They already knew that it was no use interviewing the witnesses - they would have been enchanted to forget the most important details regarding the abduction.

He peered at his phone, browsing through news sites. He spotted a lone, grainy picture of the event and froze. He recognized the abducted girl from his previous life. _Felicidad Aguila. Felicidad Aguinaldo._

"'Nay, 'Tay," he called out, his voice shaking. "Tignan niyo to."

 _"Atin kang ikit?" May nakita ka?_ Jay approached him cautiously, a hand to her chest. Was their little trip even healthy for her?

The couple peered at his phone screen. Jay's face was full of nothing but mild curiosity. Goyong's face was more unreadable - after all, Felicidad was one of the last girls that he wooed. It was said that they might even have been married, if the president did not put his foot down and betrothed him to Dolores instead.

"Punyeta." Goyong glanced at Jay apologetically. "Kilala ko siya."

"Sino yan?" Jay asked with a smile. "Ex mo?"

Goyong nodded stiffly. "Noong nalaman kong... patay na si Poleng, sinabihan ako na kailangan kong humanap ng asawa. Siya talaga yung inalokan ko ng kasal. Hindi naman sa mahal ko siya kagaya ng nararamdaman ko sa iyo pero kaibigan ko siya at kahit papaano..."

"I understand. Hindi mo kailangang mag-sugarcoat," Jay told him warmly. The two of them really were goals. "So, type mo siya noon at friends naman kayo kaya pinapakasalan mo na dapat siya noon dahil patay na si true love, ganern?"

Goyong turned red and nodded. He took her hand reassuringly. "Iba ka parin."

She stuck out her tongue. "Dapat lang."

Seeing them together - his two parental figures at home - made Vince feel happy but somewhat lonely. He smiled and tossed the thought off to the very edges of his mind though. "Yung palang hinahanap nating marka ni Dolores?" He supposed it was his job to remind them of what they were supposed to be doing.

The two nodded sagely and they began to walk around again. Goyong was mumbling something about Dolores and her possible new motives of hunting down reincarnations of the girls that he once wooed.

Vince noticed a purple glint on an electric post near Felicidad's apartment. He motioned to the couple and pointed. "Ganito ba yung hinahanap mo?"

Goyong nodded grimly. He exchanged glances with Jay. Hands still locked together, they bent down to touch the marking. A quiet sort of jolt seemed to pass through the two of them.

"Vince, good job," Jay finally said as they rejoined him. "Pumunta sila sa Walking Street - malapit sa entrance ng Fields. Parehong lugar na pinuntahan noong pangalawang biktima."

Vince smiled, almost aglow with her praise. She always knew how to make him feel good about himself. "Salamat, Nay. Eh ano nang balak nating gawin niyan?"

"Balik muna sa bahay," Goyong announced grimly. "Bukas na tayo pupunta sa Walking Stree. Maganda na sigurong sundan natin yung sabi ni Tito Selong kay Julian."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3


	15. Mysterioso

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone gets abducted. Things happen. Yep. Yep. Yep.

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 8:00 AM, Angeles City Proper**

It was a warm morning, and despite the fact that it was the smack dab in the middle of his summer break, Nonong found himself walking all the way to the cafe, dragging Vince with him. The news of Fely's abduction shook him - she was one of his closest friends in their block, after all. Besides, he knew what happened to the other girls. He knew how they ended up with the life sucked out of them.

"Ang aga agang exercise naman nito," Vince was complaining behind him. "Pwede naman tayong makisabay kay Kuya Manuel mamaya!"

"Kailangan kong magpalamig ng ulo," Nonong admitted. He didn't want to talk about the other reason that he was shaken by what happened - the fact that Aurora Aragon was living alone in the city and could become prey too.

They had just rounded the corner and made their way past the bridge and to the edges of the city proper, where a line of small eateries and internet cafes greeted them. The early morning crowd was already starting to form, which somehow reassured Nonong. There as just something magical about the crowd in the _Cabalenan_ , the heart of the city.

A loud scream cut through the happy bustle of the people around them. Nonong's guts turned to ice as he exchanged glances with Vince. They nodded to each other and broke into a dead sprint in an attempt to follow the source. His body felt more and more sluggish the closer that they got, until it forced him to a dead stop.

A young woman - maybe around Jose and Cat's age - was being dragged away by a taller, sturdily built man. As much as Nonong tried, his legs wouldn't budge from his position and his eyes kept averting its gaze away from the man's face. He caught a glimpse of the man's distinctive hairstyle, though.

_Fuck, yung anino nga ni Aguinaldo._

The doppleganger dragged the woman away through the side street where Nonong and Jay met Goyong's doppleganger. A few seconds passed before Nonong realized that his legs could move again.

"Punyeta," he spat out.

"Punyeta, indeed," Vince murmured, clutching his phone. "Mabuti nalang nakuhanan ko ng video."

* * *

_It was the first of December, and the cold late year air was intensified by the high altitude of Tirad Pass. To Julian, who was expecting a battle soon with the approaching Americans, the night was dark and full of terrors._

_"Kuya." Goyong's voice was soft and sad - something that Julian hadn't heard in earnest since Poleng. "Nararamdaman ko na hindi na ako bababa ng Tirad."_

_"Wag mong sabihin yan," he pointed out. He closed his eyes, fighting off images of Manuel Bernal's broken, bloody form from his troubled mind._

_Goyong scowled. "Wala na akong dahilan para lumaban kung wala na si Poleng," he growled. He took out a pair of military insignia from his pocket and handed them to his brother. "Kapag wala na ako, ikaw ang tatayong heneral. Iligtas mo ang lahat ng makakaya mo. Umuwi ka na ng Bulacan pagkatapos nito, pakasalan mo na si Ate Tina. Hanapin mo ang libingan ni Kuya Manuel at ni Kapitan Rusca. Siguraduhin mong nasa mabuting kalagayan si Nena."_

_"Gregorio..." Julian began._

_"Ipangako mo sa akin, kuya! Ipangako mo," Goyong begged, a half-mad glint in his brown eyes._

_Julian felt like he was breaking even more. He had made too many promises already, and it seemed like he wouldn't be able to fulfill any of them. "Pinapangako ko."_

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 8:00 AM, North Luzon Expressway, Bocaue Exit**

Julian should have expected the traffic jam. It was a weekday, after all, and they were in the second most prosperous city in Pampanga on a rush hour. He just felt glad that Julio was behind the wheel instead of him - he felt like he would explode from impatience if he were driving for their trip. Not that his twin would allow it, of course, as Julio never really appreciated his mad driving skills.

His brother's slow driving and the traffic jam that permeated the biggest areas in San Fernando made him impatient. At least they brought their pocket wifi with him, and he was able to check his social media - though it didn't do much to keep his attention. The traffic let up as they entered the expressway, but the dull, repetitive scenery that greeted them wasn't exactly thrilling. He had no choice but to resign himself to a dull ride for the next thirty to forty five minutes. 

That is, until he saw a message from Vince.

It just contained a short video clip, and one sentence: _May bagong kidnap victim._

An angry chill ran down Julian's spine. Felicidad Aguinaldo - no, Aguila - had just been taken away the night before. What was Dolores playing at?

"Anyare?" Julio asked, his eyes affixed on the road. With his attention deficit issues, staying focused at that moment must have been a challenge.

"May nakidnap daw ulit." Julian hoped that the pocket wifi had good enough signal for him to play the video. His fingers shook as he typed a quick thanks to Vince.

The anger thundering in his mind reached a new crescendo when the video began to unfold. The woman was familiar - awfully familiar - with her curly black hair tied back in a smart ponytail and tomboyish clothing. The video blurred around the doppleganger though they knew enough about the situation not to care about it anymore. What he really focused on was on the woman's face.

It was Andrea, his second eldest sister.

"Julio, may dapat kang makita." Julian's voice trembled.

They parked at the side of the road. Julian shoved his phone into his brother's hand, asked him to watch the video. He was still shaking from rage and anger - and just the slightest inkling of faer. He wasn't as fearless as the daredevil that everyone made him out to be.

"Fuck." The profanity that rolled out of Julio's lips just about summed up the situation. "Si Ate Andrea ito."

"Alam ko." Julian rubbed his forehead as he got his phone back. He began to dial Maria's number as one question begged to be noticed. "Bakit nasa Angeles siya?"

"Yun nga eh," Julio said as their sister answered his call.

"Julian?" Maria's voice blared out from the loud speaker. As always, she had no indoor voice. "Nagkita na ba kayo ni Andrea? Pumunta daw siya diyan para makita yung bahay niyo. Makikisabay nalang daw pabalik dito sa Bulacan. Tinatawagan ko, kanina pa, pero di sumasagot."

"Kanina pa kami nagbibiyahe," Julian said, unable to keep the tremble from his voice. "Nakabukas ba yung Facebook account mo? May dapat kang makita."

His sister barely worded her consent before he sent the video to her. The moment of silence that followed was as chilling as the video itself. He hoped that his sister didn't go into a full blown panic attack.

"Nabalitaan ko din sa TV yung mga nangyayaring kidnapping diyan," she finally said, horror evident on her voice. "Putangina."

Julian huffed. Tito Selong's words hung heavy upon his shoulders. "May mga kaibigan kami sa Angeles - may connections sila sa pulis. Kaming bahala dito, Ate. Nasa Bocaue na kami pero pwede pa naman kaming bumalik sa Angeles kung kailangan."

"Hindi, dumiretso muna kayo dito. Mas maganda na kung alam naming safe kayo." Maria's voice broke. "Please."

Julian exchanged glances with Julio. It seemed like both of of them were willing to haul themselves back to Pampanga even if their family was just a few minutes away. They nodded at each other.

"Sige, Ate, kung mas mapapalagay yung pakiramdam mo." Julio sighed and restarted the car engine. "Pupunta na kami diyan."

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 3:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

_Andrea del Pilar._

The name repeated itself at the back of Goyong's head, triggering long hidden sentiments about the family that he'd left behind in Tirad. He returned to the place where the kidnapping happened, Nonong, Rusca, Vince, and Jay tailing him as he marched to the place where Andrea was dragged away to - where she and the doppleganger disappeared.

"Dito kami napalaban sa anino mo nung isang araw," Jay said. If things weren't bad enough, being reminded of the events leading to his girlfriend's most recent hospitalization was starting to fail felt like a slap to his face too.

Nonong nodded. "Dito sila banda tumakbo."

Knowing what they were looking for now, Goyong quickly found the swirl of purple - Dolores' magic marking the half crumbling wall to his left. He caught Jay's gaze, making his heart flip in his damaged chest. He leaned forward and touched the marking, the electric jolt that momentarily struck him feeling too familiar now. Jay laid her hand on top of his, easing the sensation.

"Papuntang Walking Street din ito," she said, her breath tickling his ears.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 4:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

He was surprised to see that Selong was waiting for them at home. His uncle was seated in the living room, accepting a cup of coffee from an anxious looking Paco, who was accompanied by Joven. They all looked up as Goyong's group marched into the house, dusty and worried and on edge.

"Tama nga yung nakita ko," Selong said as he caught his nephew's gaze. "Kinuha din ng anino si Andrea."

Grimly, Goyong sat beside his uncle, exhaling a huff of frustated breath. "Hindi na nga po namin alam kung anong gagawin."

A bright smile filled Selong's face. "Alam ko kung nasaan sila." He tapped his forehead as he stood up with a chuckle. "I can see parts of the future, baka nakalimutan mo na, hijo. Hindi na ito kasing... accurate... ng mga nakikita kong mga ganap bago ang kinse ng buwang ito ngunit sapat na. Maililigtas niyo sila."

"Ano pong kailangan naming gawin?" Joven asked from his spot by the center table.

The mischievous smile never left Selong's face. He mentioned two motel names, and the woman who was being held in each of them. "Madadala kayo ni Julietta doon, alam niyang sundan ang mga yapak ng mga anino doon."

Jay nodded solemnly. She looked pale and a little weak, but determined. "Jay nalang po," she began. "So kailangan po siguro natin ng at least dalawang tao para mabilis natin silang iligtas, ano?"

"Tatlo." Selong stroked his beard thoughtfully as he pondered upon their plans. "Madaling pasukan yung isa dahil hindi protektado ang fire exit niya. Love motel naman yung isa - maraming magtataka kung isang tao lang ang papasok."

"Fuck." A mischievous smile filled Rusca's face. He turned to Goyong and Jay. "Sigurado akong kayang kaya niyo yan."

"Hindi pwedeng pumunta doon si Julietta. Nakaabang ang anino ni Gregorio at medyo... may ibang kakayahan ito para saktan siya."

"Hindi naman kami pwedeng pumunta doon ni Nonong - trabaho ko at pagaaral niya yung nakasalalay," Paco pointed out with a smile. "At walang isasama doon ang iba sa inyo dahil busy ang mga girlfriend niyo. Yung mga ibang couples mukhang may lakad pa hanggang mamaya at urgent itong rescue mission na ito."

Goyong could feel his uncle's eyes boring on him, knowing what he would say next. "Pwede namang may magcrossdress sa atin. Naaalala ko pa ang Paombong." He could feel his cheeks turning red at the memory of that raid.

Selong's smile widened. "That's my nephew! Oo, crossdressing. Yan mismo ang nakita ko, hijo." He rummaged in his bag, taking out a dress and a ruffled wig of curly black hair. He glanced at Goyong slyly. "Alam naman natin kung sinong expert dito."

He shouldn't have talked. He really shouldn't have talked. It felt like he had just signed himself up for embarassment, and possibly even more trouble. Then again, his uncle had foreseen it, hadn't he? He supposed that there wouldn't have been any way around something like that.

_Play it up nalang, Greggyboy._

" _Dios mio patatas santissima Marimar dos por dos!_ Pwede naman sigurong mamili ng jowa since love motel ang pupuntahan natin, ano?" He smiled mischievously, knowing that he really was probably their best bet when it came to crossdressing for now. He wouldn't let Vince risk his neck for something like this. "Kasi kung ganoon... Ruscababes, I choose you."

"Pakshet ka, bebelabs," growled Rusca.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paombong raid 2.0 sa susunod na update! Joke.


	16. Ready to Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paombong 2.0 commence!

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 5:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Jay slipped into the room that Goyong had been sharing with Nonong and the twins. The faint smell of flowery, feminine perfume wafted through the area, making her crinkle her nose. _Ang girly - sobrang girly_.

Goyong was standing self consciously by one of the wardrobes, tugging at the hem of his long sleeved vintage red dress. His wig was already in face, the wavy, long hair framing his face and emphasizing his feminine features. It was such a shame that Cat wasn't around. She would have applied better make up than what Jay is capable of.

"Ayos ka lang ba diyan?" Jay asked as she approached him, a mischievous smile blooming from her lips. She pushed away some stray locks of hair away from his face. "Bagay mo palang maging babae, ano? I'd tap you parin."

He blushed prettily at those words, eliciting a mischievous grin from her. "Ikaw ang maglalagay ng makeup sa akin?"

"Since ako lang ang available na babae sa bahay, oo." She smiled as she leaned forward and slowly, gently gave him the most torrid kiss that she could muster. She didn't stop until she got a soft moan out of him."Trust me, magmumukha kang emo pag tapos na tayo - pero at least, uh, bagay yung lipstick ko sa dress mo."

Goyong stared at her, his brown eyes wide from surprise. "Gumaganti ka ba sa pinasuot ko sayo nung isang araw?"

She smiled and directed him to sit on one of the beds. "Wala naman akong sinasabi, Henerahhhl."

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Balibago**

The sun was just setting when the group parked at the entrance to Walking Street, right in front of a McDonald's outlet. Joven gave them a lift on his car with Vince riding shotgun. The trio who would be enacting the actual rescue missions were murmuring quietly among themselves at the back seat.

Goyong went over Jay's disheveled appearance. Her red hair, which would have stood out once she started sneaking around, was tucked under a black baseball cap. She smiled confidently at him and took out a small pendant from her pocket - a small eagle medallion. "Ibibigay ko sana ito sa, um, monthsary natin, pero baka kailanganin mo para sa good luck."

 _Good luck_. It seemed like they needed it. That reminded him that he also got something for her. He reached into the backpack lying at his feet, sifting through the clothes that he would be changing into once their little adventure was over. He found it at the small inner pocket of his spare jeans - a small pendant shaped like a dragon in flight. It was supposed to be a gift for the second of April, but it seemed like they really needed luck for now.

"Ito rin, para sayo. Kailangan natin ang good luck," he murmured.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 6:45 PM, Walking Street**

Jay kept to the shadowy, seedier side of the area as she did her best to retrace the doppleganger's steps. According to Selong, she would be locating Felicidad Aguila in a shady little hotel at the edge of the district. She hefted her backpack as she scurried along, wondering if being armed by her knives and a crowbar would be enough to haul the girl out.

She finally stopped in front of the motel in question. Her chest began to ache at the sheer strength of the doppleganger's presence in the area. She wondered if it would have any adverse effects on her curse but pushed the thought away.

_Mamaya ko na iisipin. Hindi naman importante._

She walked around it, eyes narrowed, until she found a side alley with the fire exit. _Ding ding ding ding ding! Jackpot!_ She looked around, making sure that no one would see her before she tried to open the door - which was unfortunately locked.

Picking it didn't work either. Jay really felt lucky that she grabbed the crowbar from the garage. It seemed like it was going to come in handy.

She pried the door open after hacking into the lock and chipping it off. She stumbled into the musty stairs leading into the main area of the motel, coughing at the stench. The pain in her chest was steadily intensifying as she stumbled through the motel, earning curious looks from the motley assortment of customers.

"Miss, naliligaw ka ata," a sleazy voice crooned.

Jay felt like her chest was being squeezed painfully but she deliberately ignored the pain. A trio of men in grubby clothes were hovering over her, their hungry eyes roving over her black pullover and equally black jeans. She wouldn't have minded fighting her way past them, but it might impede her search for Felicidad - and draw a doppleganger's attention.

 _Patay_.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 6:45 PM, Fields Avenue**

Getting into the love motel was easy enough, albeit uncomfortable. All Goyong had to do was keep his mouth shut, cling to Rusca, and smile prettily. Despite the fact that his slender frame and feminine features helped him disguise himself as a woman, he would have some trouble with hiding his voice.

"Tara na, bebelabs, Room 216 daw," Rusca purred, leading him off the welcome desk and deeper into the motel. He leaned forward as soon as it was just the two of them. "Sa 218 nakatago ang ate ng kambal, sabi ni Tito Selong."

"Alam ko." Goyong's palms began to sweat.

They had made it to their room without being caught. Exchanging nervous glances, they shut the door behind them and sat at the edge of the creaking bed. "Shit, paano tayo makakapasok sa kabila?"

Goyong touched the wall separating them from the room in question, closing his eyes. He didn't feel the crawling in his skin that came up whenever a doppleganger was in the vicinity. "Walang anino doon," he finally announced. "Pwede na tayong pumunta - basta tandaan mo, hindi ako si Goyong, ha? Ako si Julian. Hindi nila pwedeng malaman..."

"Alam ko." All joviality melted out of Rusca's face, replaced with determination.

That was when the doorknob suddenly turned.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 7:30 PM, Walking Street**

Jay took a deep breath and slowly eased a pair of knives out of her sleeves. Despite being heavily armed most of the time, she never knew how to intimidate people. "Ayoko ng away," she growled, letting them get a good look at her weapons. "Sigurado akong ayaw niyo din."

"Puta, tatlo kami. Magisa ka lang." The trio's leader leered at her.

"Fair point, pero armado ako." Slowly, languidly, she pulled up her shirt to give them a good look of the knives tucked away at the sides of her bra. "Maganda siguro kung kalimutan niyong nakita niyo ako."

It worked - to her surprise. The men backed away after seeing the weapons she was keeping hidden, despite the fact that she exposed quite a lot of skin. _Siguro dahil na din hindi kagandahan yung katawan ko_. After all, who would want someone who was all breasts and hips?

At least it gave her an advantage this time.

Her heart started drumrolling painfully in her chest as she marched through hallway after hallway in the dingy motel - until it was so unbearable that it made her stop in front of a door. She had found the place where Felicidad was being kept in. For some reason, she was sure that there was no doppleganger around. She would have been in excruciating pain otherwise.

Picking the lock to Felicidad's room was easier than forcing her way through the fire exit. She made it in so easily that she wondered whether it was just a trap.

Felicidad was on the bed, hogtied to one of the bedposts. She was clothed, which was a good thing. A ragged white handkerchief was stuffed in her mouth to silence her, but her eyes spoke of fear and just the smallest bit of hope.

"Miss Aguila?" Jay approached and began to cut off her bindings. "Wag kang magalala, ilalabas ka na namin dito. May ginawa ba sila sayo?"

"W-Wala." Felicidad began to sob as Jay helped her spit the handkerchief out.

She told her of being dragged away from her dorm and being hit on the back of the head. She had been unconscious for a while and woke up alone in the motel room.

Jay felt anger bubbling in her gut, making the pain in her chest rise to unbelievable levels. "Wag kang magalala. Ligtas ka na."

Felicidad clung to her as they made their way out of the room. "I-Ikaw yung ate ni Quizon, diba?"

Jay nodded, slowly ushering her to the fire exit. "Ako nga. Ba't alam mo?"

The girl smiled sweetly at her. "Nakita ko kayo ng boyfriend mo noong acquaintance party namin nung December. At nandoon din ako nung sinugod ka sa ospital noong minsan. Nag-assist ako doon sa mga test sa puso mo."

"Ah." Jay winced. She looked around as they stepped out of the motel and spotted a pair of security guards eyeing her and the knives she was still clutching. _Fuck_.

"Yan yung babaeng nanira nung pinto!" one of them said, pointing at Jay.

"Anong ginagawa niyo?" another one barked.

Jay winced. "Kid," she whispered. She wouldn't be able to run like Felicidad with her condition, and it would be futile to try. "Takbo ka hanggang sa McDo. May makakarecognize sayo doon. Silang bahala sayo."

"Eh ikaw?" Felicidad asked.

"Ako nang bahala sa sarili ko. Sige na, go," she growled.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 7:30 PM, Fields Avenue**

Rusca threw himself on top of Goyong as the door creaked open and locked lips with him. The boy general could do nothing but play along for a good few seconds. Tangina mo, Ed!

"Oops, maling kwarto," someone mumbled apologetically before slamming the door.

"Di mo naman kailangang gawin yun," groaned Goyong.

Rusca shrugged. "Para convincing."

Goyong sat in stunned, horrified silence for a while. He did find Rusca attractive - but that was over a hundred years ago, when he preyed on men and women to ease his pain and loneliness from Poleng's abandonment. Things were different now.

"Ano, sa tingin mo safe nang mambulabog sa kabilang kwarto?" asked Rusca, obviously attempting to put a stop to the sudden awkwardness.

Goyong nodded. "Sige na, Ruscababes. Lead the way."

After making sure that the coast was clear, the duo stalked out of the room and made their way to the next door. Rusca bent down to pick the lock with a small grin. "Sabi na nga ba at may silbi yung magnanakaw lessons namin ng girlfriend mo eh."

Goyong snorted at those words. "Magnanakaw lessons, right."

Rusca kicked the door open and marched into the motel room, where a lone woman was tied up in one corner. She was dressed in a boyish style reminiscent of Jay, her dark hair streaked with red and purple and blue. She watched the newcomers with obvious fear.

"Ate Andrea?" Goyong did his best to imitate Julian, hoping that it would be enough. He carefully took off the duct tape that was slapped over her mouth. "Si Julian to. Ligtas ka na."

"Kelan ka pa naging ganyan kapayat? At di naman ganyan kataas yung boses ng kapatid ko." Andrea frowned as she was untied.

"Ako to." Goyong winced as he threw the window open and peered down. He secured a rope down one side of the metal frame with a smile. "Ate Andrea, sana handa kang magrapelling."

"Hindi rin ganyan yung accent ni Julian," Andrea was pointing out. "Sino ka?"

Rusca nudged her forward. "Kapatid mo yan - at nandito nga kami para iligtas ka. Marunong ka daw magrappeling diba? Yan na yung magiging pinakamabilis na paraan para makalayas tayo dito."

Andrea nodded and moved forward to grab the rope. That was when the door flew open and Goyong's doppleganger stepped in.

"Sabi na nga ba't hindi matitiis ni Goyong ang ate niya," it jeered just as Andrea slid down the rope, followed by Rusca. "Sabi na nga ba't sila ni Felicidad ang magdadala sainyo sa akin."

"Negative." Goyong grinned, leaning casually beside the rope. He just had to buy time for the two to shimmy down safely. _Nangangalahati na, good_. "Negative na negative."

"Napakasimple lang naman ng hiling namin - na isuko mo ang sarili mo," the doppleganger said with mad fervor. "Bakit hindi mo magawa?"

"Dahil ayaw ko." Goyong took out his dagger, the blue crystal on its handle glinting menacingly. _Alam kong pangontra ito sa mga aninong kagaya mo, pero may plot twist ako_. He cut the rope just as Rusca made it down safely and turned away. "Vaja con diablo, bitch."

He leapt from the second storey window, landing on the concrete sidewalk with a resounding crack.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 8:00 PM, Walking Street**

Jay was feeling lucky that the place was too dark for them to remember anything distinctive about her, or else she woudl be arrested soon. She hoped she was able to buy Felicidad enough time to run. She probably had to fight her way past these men.

The first guard made to grab her arm and she dodged, flipping him over in a move that she had been practicing for years. She ducked to avoid the next one's blow to her head and kicked him hard on the abdomen, cracking a rib. She made a face, not wanting to hurt anyone badly, but supposed it couldn't be helped. The third man was wary of her, and she used that to her advantage. She slammed him against the wall and broke into a mad sprint.

She barely made it to the meeting place in time before her body began to protest. Felicidad was already seated in between Joven and Vince, nibbling at the stack of french fries that they presented to her. Her face brightened as her rescuer approached and gave her a big hug. "Ate, mabuti nalang ayos ka!"

Jay hugged her back briefly before sitting beside her brother. "Nagrereklamo ng konti yung puso ko, pero same old. Nasaan sina Kuya Ed at Goyong?"

"Wala pa sila." Joven looked worried as he checked his sister for any injufies.

Vince nodded. "Sana ayos lang sina Tatay."

"Ayos lang sila. Promise. Tiwala lang." Jay swallowed down the worries that bubbled in her gut.

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 8:00 PM, Fields Avenue**

The flash of white hot pain that accompanied Goyong's multiple broken bones wasn't as bad as the searing heat that followed when they began to mend quickly. He could hear Andrea babbling hysterically but all he could focus on for the next couple of minutes was the pain.

He let out a groan as it subsided and stood up, lamenting the fact that the fall left a small tear on the dress. Someone else could have used it in the future. He looked up and met an amuzed Rusca's gaze. Beside him, Andrea was staring at him with wide eyed awe.

"Gregorio? Goyong?" she whispered.

"Multo ng Tirad Pass, at your service - pero walang dapat makaalam. Kahit ang mga ibang kapatid mo." He smiled, fixed his wig, and led the way back to their meeting place.

Jay threw her arms tightly around him as they rejoined the team. _"Osimap alang menasakit kekayu." Buti nalang at walang nasaktan sainyo._

"Wala, right." He hugged her back and kissed her in relief.

He caught someone gazing at him - Felicidad Aguinaldo, no, Felicidad Aguila. She seemed to recognize him for who he actually was, as there was an expectant look in her eye. She averted her gaze as he caught him staring though, turning to glance at Jay instead. There was obvious admiration and hero worship was evident on her face.

_So, may crush na yung ex ko sa girlfriend ko. Wow. No hard feelings._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dalawang short bonus scenes sa umpisa ng susunod na update, then back to Bulacan with the wonder twins na tayo uli. Hihi.


	17. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad things happen in Bulacan.

**Bonus**

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 8:30 PM, Walking Street**

Vince could feel the relief flooding everyone as they managed to rescue the two kidnapped women. He strayed toward the counter to get himself a large float while the rest of them contacted whoever it was that they needed to contact regarding their rescue mission. Well, he was definitely glad that their mission was successful.

He stood at the very back of a line, in front of a girl who seemed deeply engrossed with her phone call. Though he couldn't see her face, he thought that she must be pretty. He felt his stomach growling in hunger as the line moved forward, and his thoughts strayed to Dolores again.

He was so lost in his thoughts about the witch that he hadn't noticed the fact that it was finally his turn to place his order.

When he finally rejoined the team, float in hand, he was glad to see that they have finally relaxed. Goyong had apparently switched out of his female disguise already, though his left eye was still smeared with eyeliner. Felicidad and Andrea were both staring at him with a mix of curiosity and wonder.

"Pahirap ng pahirap itago yung sarili ko dahil sa mga ginagawa ni Dolores," the boy general muttered as Vince sat down beside him.

"Basta ba wag kakalat sa mga madlang people yan." Vince reached toward the table for fries - and realized that they've ran out. "Inubos mo nanaman yung chibog. 'Tay."

Goyong grinned. "I'm a growing boy."

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 9:00 PM, Brgy. Salapungan**

Goyong felt jittery throughout their crowded trip to Felicidad's dorm. They decided to drop her off first as they would be driving Andrea all the way to Bulacan after that. Both ladies that they rescued were giving him odd looks, but he supposed that he couldn't blame them.

Felicidad hopped out of the car as soon as they parked in front of her dorm. She hesitated, then motioned for Goyong to follow her.

He exchanged glances with Jay, who nodded encouragingly. Stepping out, he found Felicidad waiting for him with a shy smile.

"Kuya, alam ko kung sino ka." She smiled sheepishly and looked down. "Ikaw yung reincarnation ni Heneral del Pilar, di ba?"

"Hindi ako reincarnation. Ako parin yung Goyong na umakyat ng Tirad." He looked down, remembering their old friendship. They would have married out of convinience - he a new widower, and she who had preferred fellow women - if her brother, the president, hadn't interfered.

She stared at him, wide eyed. "Paano?"

He had always been fond of her, though it had never amounted to anything but close friendship for the two of them. Never naman tayong naging talo, diba? "Madaming mga, um, weird na bagay na nangyari magmula noong huling laban ko."

She nodded, apparently accepting that answer for the moment. She deserved the truth someday, but not while Dolores was still lurking. It was too dangerous.

"Ingatan mo ang sarili mo," she finally said. "Madami nga atang delikado na nangyayari dito sa Angeles. At alagaan mo girlfriend mo, ha? Nagpapakalakas lang yan pero nandoon kami noong sinugod siya ni Quizon sa emergency room. Medyo _delicate_ talaga ang lagay niya."

By the time he got back to the car, Goyong wondered just how much _weirder_ life was going to get for him.

* * *

_He went home alone, went home to his family's tears. They all moured for a fallen brother, for a fallen son, and Julian could never accept their assurances that it was not his fault. He knew it was. Everything led up to Tirad because he was the one who urged Goyong to marry Poleng in secret all those years ago._

_They held a big wedding for him and Tina just three months after Tirad. He loved her, he still did, but his guilt and emptiness and eagerness to fulfill the last of his brother's wishes nibbled at him. The only thing he was able to do from all of that was go home and get married - and secure passage for Rusca's family to Zambales._

_It didn't feel enough. He couldn't do enough._

**Wednesday, 03-30-16, 10:30 PM, Bulacan**

It was quite a job, assuring their relatives that Andrea was just off on some errand and would be home that night. Julian could see the worry in his siblings' eyes whenever someone asked them about their missing sister, and he couldn't blame them. There was nothing left for them to do but hope that the team back in Angeles could save her and Felicidad in time.

The phone call from Goyong a couple of hours ago was a relief. He hadn't told anyone but Julio yet, though, wanting to surprise them.

"Sana walang nasaktan sa kanila," Julio said in between meeting with some distant relatives. "Alam mo naman si Dolores - evil witch of the west ampeg."

"Hindi naman siguro siya magkakanta ng Defying Gravity," Julian said wryly as he started to rig up some fireworks for that night. It was a miracle that they still let him be in charge with pyrotechnics, even after that time that he caused a bit of panic during a battle of the bands event in school.

There was a loud commotion outside of the venue. Julian's ears pricked up, wondering if something was about to go wrong. Clutching a bunch of firecrackers, he spotted a familiar blue car parked across the stret - Joven's. His heart leapt. Exchanging glances with Julio, they pushed their way past the crowd of relatives staring at the car.

Joven pulled down the window on his side. "Nandito na ate mo," he said with a smile.

The passenger's seat opened and Andrea stepped out, looking frazzled but otherwise unharmed. She ran and gave her siblings a hug before running into the venue.

Goyong peered out from the shadows of the backseat and raised a finger to his lips. It was a request for silence on his existence. He glanced at the gathered relatives with longing before he turned back to Jay.

Julian turned to his siblings, who were talking rapidly to each other. Andrea's eyes were glued to to the car. It seemed like Goyong's secret wasn't going to stay that way for long.

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 12:00 AM, Bulacan**

Despite his exhaustion from the reunion and from fretting over his sister, Julian remembered the other reason why they returned to Bulacan.

"Ate Maria," he mumbled as they parked outside of their house. "May kailangan akong itanong."

"Ano yun?" Their sister stopped right in front of the front gate. "May problema ba?"

"May hinahanap kasi kami ni Julio. Package daw galing kay Paul Ridel? Kaibigan daw ni Lola Tina." Julian recalled the proper words that Selong instructed him with during their first meeting.

"Ah, oo, pinatago nga sakin ni Mama. Sabi niya babalikan mo daw yan eh." Maria paused and stepped back from the gate. "Sira yung lock."

"Anong nasira yung gate?" Pablo, their elder brother who was just a year up from the twins, approached the gate and peered at it.

Julian peered over his shoulder and cussed. Someone had melted off the padlock, and he was sure it was deliberate. "Magnanakaw?"

"Baka." Julio hovered protectively in front of his sisters, fists clenched. "Mainit sa mata yung mga malaking bahay, lalo na pag walang tao.  _Kingina._ "

Fourteen year old Jacinto, their youngest brother, stared at the dark, empty house. "Baka naman umuwi lang ng maaga si Mama."

"Hindi, two weeks pa siya sa Cebu," Maria said in a quivering voice. "Saka bakit naman niya tutunawin yung padlock kung ganun? May susi naman siya."

Julian led the way inside, feeling a strange chill in his gut. He was sure that something was wrong. He motioned for his siblings to back away and threw the gate open with a kick. Exchanging a look with Julio, they took a few steps into the garden and hauled themselves up the small steps to the front door.

"Tae, tignan mo to." Julio pointed at the doorknob - or at least the place where the doorknob used to be. Someone hacked it off, along with a sizeable chunk of the door.

"Magnanakaw nga ata," Julian growled.

They roamed room after room but nothing was missing. A lot of their belongings were in disarray but otherwise intact. It unsettled Julian, especially when they found out that their money and other valuables were untouched. Something was definitely wrong.

There was a loud shattering sound further on into the house. Exchanging glances, the siblings treaded carefully until they reached Maria and Andrea's room. "Nawawala yung last project ni Lola Tina," Maria wailed as she pointed at a small wooden box that was thrown haphazardly on her bed.

Goosebumps trailed along Julian's arms. He exchanged glances with Julio, who had a look of horror in his face. Dolores, they both mouthed to each other.

Julian looked around and spotted the huge lone window in the room. The stained glass panes that their mother painstakingly installed were shattered. The warm summer breeze blew in from it, making the gauzy pink curtains billow and dance. Julian hopped over to it and leaned out. He spotted Aguinaldo's doppleganger attempting to climb over the steel fence.

Ignoring his siblings' warnings, Julian leapt over the window, landing on the grass with a soft thump. He scrambled right after the doppleganger, who was caught off guard and was sent sprawling on the ground. The doppleganger dropped the small bundle he was clutching as the two of them scuffled with each other.

The doppleganger let out an angry growl. His eyes glowed red as he shoved Julian away with a strong blow to his ribs. Wheezing, Julian landed right beside the bundle. There was a dark streak that went past him as Julio made his way to the doppleganger, grabbed him by the arm. He executed an imperfect judoflip that sent the doppleganger careening to the wall.

The doppleganger was unfazed. He stared at the bundle that Julian had just grabbed, and Julio's fighting stance. Before the twins could do anything else, its eyes glowed even brighter and it leapt cleanly over the fence, taking off into the night.

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 12:30 AM, Bulacan**

Julian let out a groan as Maria applied warm compress on the bruises adorning his side and his back.

"Yun yung kumuha sa akin," Andrea said, her hands shaking as she paced around the kitchen. "Hindi ko maintindihan..."

"Wag kang magalala," Julio muttered. "Di rin namin maintindihan."

Well, that was true, at least. Why was the doppleganger after Tina's last project?

Julian unrolled the bundle on the table, revealing bars of silvery metal and small bits of unpolished crystal. Tina seemed to have been trying to make more of the daggers that could destroy the dopplegangers. He wasn't sure just how much of a help those daggers would give them over Dolores, though.

He supposed Selong would have the answers. It seemed like he always did.

"At least hindi kayo nasaktan," Pablo said, setting down mugs of coffee on the table. He turned to his brothers. "Pero reckless ah, nakipagaway pa agad."

Julian looked down. "Importante kasi itong ninakaw nila."

"Hindi man nga ata niya naumpisahan eh," Maria pointed out.

 _"Sabyan mi rin minsan nung nanung atin." Sasabihin din namin minsan kung anong meron_. Julio let out a small huff of breath before sipping his coffee. "Sadyang may mga bagay na mas maganda nang hindi nalalaman."

"Gago, sige, hugot pa," Andrea growled, whacking him with a rag. She glanced at the clock with a sigh. "Oras na pala. Matulog na nga kayo, maaga pa biyahe niyo pabalik ng Angeles bukas, diba?"

"Sigurado kayo?" Julian asked, wondering if their siblings weren't hiding secrets too.

Maria smiled sweetly. "Oo. Pero aasahan namin yung kwento niyo kung bakit niyo kailangan yung last project ni Lola Tina, ha?"

"Sa susunod, sige." Julian leapt to his feet and exchanged glances with Julio. They stepped out of the dining room, lingering not far away from it.

"Nakita ko si Goyong - kasama siya dun sa mga nagligtas sakin," Andrea said. "Sigurado akong siya yun, pati yung pagsasalita niya. May peklat pa nga siya sa leeg, parang yung galing sa sugat niya sa Tirad."

"Patay tayo," Julio muttered.

Julian nodded. "Patay, indeed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 <3 Patapos na yung adventure ng wonder twins and up next na si Nonong, starting Tuesday next week ahihihi


	18. The Kids from Yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian and Julio go home.
> 
> Goyong is in trouble.

_It had been thirteen years since Tirad, thirteen years since he broke the biggest promise he's made to his family. Guilt still ate him up as the events of Tirad still haunted him at night. He never did fulfill most of Goyong's last request._

_It was a cold October night, thirteen years after, that he decided to leave and complete them at last. He knew that his family wouldn't let him, would force him to stay with them. He understood it well and yet he couldn't sit around, wallowing in guilt and regret. Fulfilling his dead brother's last requests would bring him a semblance of closure, he knew._

_He lay awake that night, formulating a plan._

_Tina seemed aware that he was up to something, of course she would be. "Ang lalim ata ng iniisip mo," she noted, shifting from her side of the bed._

_"Hindi naman gaano," he lied, closing his eyes. "Iniisip ko lang, anong gagawin niyo kung bigla na lang akong nawala isang araw?"_

_Tina snorted and smoothed the hair away from his forehead. "Matulog ka na nga. Huwag ako, Hulyano."_

_"Pero seryoso ako," he argued._

_"Huwag ako, Hulyano," she growled lightly, closing the topic and the conversation._

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 8:30 AM, North Luzon Expressway, Candaba**

They were on the way back to Angeles, and Julian found himself lost in thought for most of the drive. He wondered if Tina still remembered what this last project was, and if she would be helping them out in this lifetime.

_Wag ako, Hulyano._

Her last words from their past still haunted him. He wondered if she really did forgive him like she said he did. After all, he still hadn't forgiven himself.

"Ang lalim ng iniisip niya oh," Julio teased. For the first time since they took up driving lessons, he was breaking his self imposed speed limit. "Sa tingin mo ba nasa Bulacan pa yung anino ni Aguinaldo?"

"Wala na siguro siya. Pero siyempre, di rin ako sigurado - sa tutal, di naman ako expert sa mga anino." Julian clutched the package close to him - it felt like some sort of tie to his past, and the family he abandoned. "Pero kung ganoon kadesperado si Dolores para makuha ito, sigurado akong dapat madala agad natin sa Angeles."

Julio shrugged, never taking his eyes off the road. "Ganyan naman talaga kapag desperado ka, diba? Gagawin mo na lahat ng maisip mong pwedeng gawin."

Julian snorted. His twin did have a point, though. "Sa San Fernando exit rin lang tayo lalabas, pwede mo ba akong idaan kina Tina?"

Julio's grin was a little too _knowing_. "Kakauwi, date na agad yung inaatupag mo?"

Julian couldn't help but reflect his smile. "Gago. Sigurado akong sa flower shop ang diretso mo pagkatapos mo akong ihatid. Sa totoo lang, gusto ko kasing malaman kung para saan itong last project niya. Pakiramdam ko hindi tayo sasagutin ng maayos ni Tito Selong eh."

 _"Balu mu ne man." Alam mo naman siya._ Julio sighed.

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 10:00 AM, Holy Angel Village**

Butterflies were causing a riot in Julian's stomach when he finally stepped out of his twin's car. He was sure that Julio was shooting him sappy looks as he made his way across the street to the del Rosario household. He smoothed his eternally unruly hair self consciously before he rang the doorbell.

It took a while before Tina answered the door. She smiled as she took in the sight of him - a little frazzled from travel and lack of sleep, dressed in his favorite green hoodie and clutching bundle wrapped in old white cloth.

"Kamusta yung field trip niyo sa Bulacan?" she asked.

He smiled in spite of himself. "Eventful. Kamusta ka?"

"May bisita si Papa, pero halika, pasok ka muna." Her eyes locked on the bundle he was carrying. "Mukhang madami kang kwento."

Before he could protest, she pulled her into the house, her warm hand closing around his cold one. She led him to the living room, where her father was sitting with someone very familiar - Antonio Luna.

He had seen the former general in the hospital about a month back, when Goyong's doppleganger wrecked Rusca's car. Julian found himself in the hospital after a hare brained stunt, and Luna's wife was the nurse in charge of their floor.

Luna was watching him curiously as Julian greeted Tina's father. "Del Pilar ka rin, diba?" he began.

"Opo, laking Angeles po pero lumipat kami sa Bulacan noong high school ako," Julian replied with a polite smile.

Tonyo nodded. "Sige, baka nakakaabala pa kami sayo, hijo," he said before turning back to his conversation.

Julian exchanged glances with Tina, who smiled and led him upstairs to her room. A small thrill perked him up when he realized just how busy they were the last time that they were there. The same trail of thoughts seemed to have struck Tina, as she smiled sheepishly at him.

"So," she began, shutting the door behind her. "May nangyari sa Bulacan, I can feel it. Spill."

He told her everything, starting from Andrea's kidnapping, the revelation that he was actually supposed to be looking for her last project, and the attempted theft. She was an attentive listener, though the mention of her last project seemed to upset her. He unfurled the bundle on the cream colored rug at the foot of her bed. Her eyes widened in surprise and she crouched down to touch the unfinished work, eyes glistening with obvious awe.

"Hindi ko kilala yung nagcommission nito sa akin," she mused, leaning back. "Mga sampung taon yun pagkatapos mong nawala. Actually retired na ako noon sa metalwork. Iniwan lang sa may pintuan ng bahay, package na may nakasulat na _P_ sa harapan."

Julian sat beside her, letting her reminisce without intruding. P - as in Plaridel ni Tito Selong, ano?

"Pito daw ang kailangan niyang ipagawa - ornamental daggers lang pero dapat daw matalim parin." She leaned against him, lost in memories. "Binayaran ako agad para sa apat, binigay pa agad sa akin yung equipment para gawin ito."

"Isa na nakay Goyong, isang nakay Jay. Yung isa napunta kay Ka Andres at pinasa kay Rusca. Yung pang apat nahalughog daw ni Joven sa basement ng bahay nila at pinasa kay Jose." Julian's fingers brushed the cold metal of the remaining materials for the last three. "Sa tingin mo naanticipate ni Tito Selong ito?"

"Siya si P, ano?" Tina surveyed the equipment in excitement. "Siguro. Hindi na rin naman ako bata noong nacommission sa akin ito, malamang sa malamang na alam niyang hindi magtatagal at di na kakayanin ng katawan ko yung pinapagawa niya."

His arm tightened around her waist at those words. "Naiintindihan niya, alam ko." They were going to have a few words with Selong soon, he was sure of that.

For now, they had a day to themselves. Might as well as take advantage of it.

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 10:45 AM, Angeles City Proper**

A dry breeze was stirring up the dust at his feet when Julio made his way from the nearby parking lot to Marge's flower shop. The summer heat had fully taken over the city, meaning that his favorite navy blue hoodie was earning stares from passersby. He ignored them though - he always did.

The cool atmosphere inside the shop was a welcome respite to the brief heat that he experienced outdoors. Margarita was tending to a cluster of sunflowers that seemed brighter against the curtain of her long, blue dyed hair. She looked up and smiled as he approached.

"Nakabalik na pala kayo, akala ko magtatagal kayo sa Bulacan," she noted. Carefully, deftly, she picked out one of the sunflowers she had been working with and idly tucked it behind her ear.

He smiled back and flicked a stray lock of hair away from her face. _No more pretenses_. He was going to tell her everything that was going on, including Dolores and the dopplegangers. "Alam ko namang kakatayin mo ako kung tinakbuhan kita," he joked. "Mukhang hindi ka gaanong busy ngayon. Gusto mo bang magkwento ako?"

"Fantasy ba yan?" she asked mischievously.

He chuckled. He supposed it was, in a way.

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 11:00 AM, Tea-rad Pass**

It was a slow summer's day for cafe, though Goyong didn't mind that. After last night's action, he was just glad to deal with the humdrum daily routine that he had fallen into.

"Kulang nanaman ako sa tulog, di na healthy to," Vince said with a yawn. "Tired pass ako ngayon, 'tay."

"Tired pass lahat tayo," Goyong noted with a grin as he leaned against the bar, watching the variety of customers that they had that day. A few of the regulars nodded to him in greeting, while a number of them chatted up the working students that made up some of the morning staff.

He had finally resigned himself happily to a marginally normal day when fate decided to kick him and prove him wrong.

He had forgotten about his encounter with Adela Reyes the other night until she stepped into the cafe, typing furiously on her phone with one hand, and clutching an awfully familiar book with the other. _Dios mio patatas santissima Marimar dos por dos, bakit may copy ka ng libro ni Kalaw?_

He turned to discuss this with Vince when he realized that his friend was fast asleep, slumped against the bar. _Tired pass nga itong batang ito, o Dios ko._

"Hoy, bebelabs, dark chocolate frappe daw para kay Miss Adela," Rusca hollered from his side of the bar.

Goyong set to work, hoping she did not remember him from a past life - or from that misadventure in the red light district. He found her sitting on one of the vacant spots on the bar itself, watching him curiously, when he set down the drink in front of her. His eyes flickered to his old picture on the cover of her book, and then to the painting of him and Manuel Tinio on horseback on the wall to his left.

"Ikaw yung nung minsan, diba?" she said.

Mentally slapping himself, he met her gaze and nodded. "Oo, sabi sayo nadaplisan lang ako eh."

"Imposible, nakita kong tumagos yung bala sa leeg mo," she pointed out stubbornly.

"Madilim nun," he said simply.

"Nakita ko din yung peklat mo sa batok kanina," she added calmly. "Sapul sa leeg, dapat clinically dead ka na the moment na tinamaan ka ng kung anuman yan."

"Shooting range accident." He noted that she was staring at her book, then at the painting. _I came here to have a good time and I'm feeling so attacked right now._

"Ilang taon ka na?" she asked.

"Twenty four." Well, it was true. At least he was finally turning twenty five for real next November.

She was persistent. "How long have you been twenty four?"

"A while." He paused, remembering where he heard that line before. "Hoy, no Twilight references, bad vibes yan!"

"Bakit kamukha mo si General del Pilar?" she insisted. "Bakit naghilom agad yung bullet wound mo? Dapat kahit nadaplisan ka eh may naiwan na galos diyan."

 _Too smart for your own good ka, kid._ "Descendant niya ako. Family resemblance. At very light lang naman yung galos."

"Bakit ayaw mo akong bigyan ng maayos na sagot?" she argued.

He shrugged. "Bakit ayaw mo akong tantanan?"

Her eyes narrowed. She clutched her plastic coffee cup and stood up. "I always get answers. Hindi pa tayo tapos." She turned and gave the sleeping Vince a fleeting, amused smile before she flounced out of the cafe.


	19. Inside Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things wind down for now.

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 3:00 PM, Tea-rad Pass**

Goyong was the first to haul himself out of the cafe after their shift ended. Vince was still sleeping on his little spot on the bar, and the others were trying to wake him. He sorely needed to clear his head.

He had barely taken his first sip from the hot chocolate that Joven made him take home when Adela sprang at him again.

She was sitting beside one of the outdoor tables, her phone in one hand and a cigarette on the other. Goyong scowled at that - he always hated the smell of cirgarette smoke as it always sent him into uncontrollable coughing fits.

"Tama nga si Etong, alas tres yung labas niyo," she said casually as he spotted him making a beeline for Rusca's newly repaired car.

 _Nareincarnate na nga, close parin kayo?_ Goyong stopped dead on his tracks. "Ang daldal talaga ni Etits, takte. Stalker ba ampeg mo teh?"

"Sabi ko sayo, I need answers." She waved at the dreaded Kalaw book on her lap. "Sigurado akong hindi ako nagmalik mata noong minsan. Nagsara lang ng mabilis yung sugat mo. _Healing factor_ , kumbaga."

"What are implying ba diyan?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as he could.

"Hindi ka tao - or at least, hindi ka normal na tao. Bampira ka ba?" she asked without any trace of irony.

"Dapat kasi hindi ka gumagamit ng Twilight references." He leaned against a nearby lamppost and grinned. "Bad literature yun, sigurado akong alam mo. Mas maganda siguro kung X-Men references yung gamitin mo."

"Ano yan, mutant ka? Parang si Wolverine?" she growled.

"What do I know? Barista lang ako." Goyong shrugged. "Alam mo, ang lakas mong makapaginterrogate pero di ko man alam yung pangalan mo."

"Adela Reyes, Addie for short - debate coach ako sa AUF." She crossed her arms, waiting for his response.

"Goyong del Pilar." His lips twitched in amusement. "Barista ng Tea-rad Pass."

"Forget the damn cafe, nangyari sa laban sa Tirad?" She was damn persistent.

"Ano nga bang hindi nangyari dun?" he asked.

The cafe doors opened and Jay marched out. Apparently noticing his discomfort, she immediately stood between him and Adela. A flicker of dislike and mistrust flashed in her eyes as she faced the girl, baring her teeth menacingly.

"Hindi mo ba nakikitang hindi siya kumportable?" she asked.

"Honey, when I demand for answers, I need to get them," Adela replied calmly.

 _"Honey,_ my boyfriend is being harassed na," Jay hissed. She took Goyong's hand and dragged him away, leaving an outraged Adela behind.

* * *

_He was too late when he arrived in Zambales with Rusca's coffin in tow. He was too late to save Nena from her uncle's wrath, too late to save their son from the burden of seeing his mother take the bullet for him._

_All he could do was to keep the couple together, even if just in death._

_All he could do was to give them a proper burial somewhere where no one could disturb them. With the Ruscas' son in tow, he marched to the Cabusilan mountains and began to dig up a grave for them. They deserved a place so lovely, so quiet. They would have loved to just lie there and forget the world for a while, had they still lived._

_In their son's eyes, he could see the guilt and grief and burden that he bore. They both saw loved ones die without having the power to prevent it. Julian's crimes were greater, he knew. He abandoned his wife and children. He let the Bernals die. He let Goyong march to his death to rejoin the only woman that he truly loved._

_All of it broke Julian, and he would never be able to do anything to mend his soul or redeem him._

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 3:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Julian found himself home a bit earlier than expected as Tina got a call from a customer regarding some new commission or another. He wanted to accompany her, but as she pointed out, he looked so exhausted and ready to drop to the floor and sleep.

The house was almost empty, aside from Nonong and Paco who were discussing the recently concluded final exams. They looked up as he approached with the bundle he was carrying.

"Akala namin mamayang gabi pa yung balik niyo. Kamusta yung Bulacan?" Paco asked, turning back to the test papers that he was checking.

"Madaming nangyari, sa totoo lang." Julian made a face as he set down the bundle on a free spot on the center table.

"Mukhang kailangan ng team meeting mamayang gabi, ano?" Nonong's eyes flickered to one of the visible bruises that he received from last night's scuffle.

Paco leaned forward to peer at the bundle curiously. "Ito ba yung pinapakuha ng Tito Selong niyo?"

Julian nodded a little self consciously as he unrolled the bundle, showing them the bars of metal and the small crystals. Yet again, he wondered if Andrea was abducted because of it. "Sana nga magpaliwanag siya para alam natin kung anong gagawin dito."

"Alam naman siguro ng tito niyo yung ginagawa niya." Paco smiled reassuringly. "Sigurado akong magpapaliwanag din siya."

"Sana nga." Julian made a face. "Alam niyo naman si Tito Selong. Pag minsan daig pa niya yung mga pabebe kapag nagpapakamisterioso yan."

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 6:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

The team gathered that night to discuss the previous day's events. Julian listened curiously as Goyong discussed the rescue mission they launched the previous night to save the two kidnapped ladies. He had to admit that taking such ballsy actually did work. The boy general, after all, thrived in plans that were crazy enough to work, and took refuge in their audacity.

Julian, in turn, told them of the most exciting part of the reunion - the discovery that they were supposed to be retrieving old Tina's last, unfinished project and the attempted theft by Aguinaldo's doppleganger. Embarassing though it was, he described the fight that they had with the creature, and the fact that it seemed more mindless than the others of its kind that the team had encountered.

Joven looked up from his notes as the stories finished, frowning. "So mukhang may mga physical enhancements na siya kagaya nung anino ng Tito Selong niyo, ano? Super strength... resilience..."

"Pero wala yung slight healing factor nung anino ni Ka Andres," noted Goyong.

"Pero may kanya kanya silang skillset, ano?" Nonong leaned back from his seat and shot his cousins a look. "Yung anino ni Kuya Goyong - parang may connection siya kay Ate Jay."

Joven scowled. "May kinalaman siya sa mga sumpang ginagawa ni Dolores, ganun? Makes sense naman dahil may obssession siya kay Goyong, diba?"

Julian nodded. He showed them the contents of the package from Bulacan, wondering what they would be making of it. It seemed like Tina was going to be bound to finish the last three daggers, and he hoped that the reason for this would become clear soon.

He knew that creating more daggers might bring Dolores' wrath upon her. He had to make sure that she was safe until they've eliminated the witch for good. He didn't mind being in death defying stunts, but threatening his loved ones was another thing.

_Nope.jpg na yan._

**Bonus**

**Thursday, 03-31-16, 9:30 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

Goyong found Jay sitting in her partition of the bedroom she now shared with Cat. Her top was lying discarded at the foot of her bed, meaning that she was preparing to go to sleep, but she was drumming her fingers restlessly on her lap as she watched him sit beside her.

"May nararamdaman ka bang masama?" he asked gently.

"Maganda yung babaeng kausap mo kanina," she noted idly as she looked up at him.

He could see her insecurities there. Joven once mentioned that she was bullied in school for her appearance, though he really could never understand why. "Hindi kagaya mo," he mused.

"Kailangan mo na ata ng salamin." Her lip twitched and she looked away. "Hindi ko maintindihan kong anong nakita mo sa akin."

"Lahat," he assured her. Bullying never was good for one's confidence, he supposed. He wished she could see herself the way he did. "Nakita ko pati yung mga bagay na hindi mo makita."

Jay looked down, as if hesitant to believe him. "Ikaw lang ata yung nakakakita nun."

"Hindi naman," he said, wrapping an arm around her bare waist. "Nagkataon lang na ako yung nahulog ng tuluyan dahil diyan."

She leaned against his shoulder, breathing heavily. "Sino nga ba yung babaeng yun?"

"Si Adela. Ayudante ko noon." He hoped she wasn't jealous. She never had any competition - not at all. He told her about the encounter in Walking Street, and also the cafe. "Mukhang walang naaalala pero parang suspicious sa akin."

Jay clenched her fist. _"Eka migaganaka. Kapag ali naka tiknangan akung bala kaya." Wag kang magalala. Kapag di ka niya tinigilan akong bahala sakanya._

He was sure that she meant it, but he didn't want a fight between them.

"Ayaw kitang mapaaway," he confessed. "Hindi naman masama yung ginagawa niya - di lang ako kumportable."

"Exactly, di ka kumportable. Parang harrassment na din yun," she pointed out. She smiled and pinched his cheek. "Pero siguro nga mas alam mo kung anong dapat gawin, ano? Ayudante mo nga naman noon."

He shrugged. He never did know what to do with Adela. She was a good friend, and he was always able to rely on her, but she also got into his nerves a lot. He was afraid that another encounter between her and Jay could cause an explosion.

_Gagawin ko ang makakaya ko para hindi umabot sa ganun. Sana lang maging sapat ito._


	20. Fireflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wonder twins end their adventure with a bang :3

_He had barely been in Dagupan for three hours and he had already faced no less than five attempts on his life. The forest around the city did not even provide him with any sort of cover, as his faceless pursuer was quite unrelenting. He knew that he and his brother had made so many enemies during the war, but he never expected any of them to actually lie and wait for him. Tirad had been more than thirteen years ago, after all._

_There he was though, on the run instead of searching for Manuel Bernal's grave. He had set part of the forest on fire using gunpowder and a candle but his enemy was still pursuing him relentlessly. Outrunning him would have been easier years ago, but he was past his prime now and all he could do was try to lose him in the forest._

_He was so exhausted when he finally stumbled into an old, familiar clearing. They used to scout the general area in there, him and Goyong, bringing up old memories that he prefered to keep at the back of his head._

_That was when his enemy closed in. He bounded into the clearing with inhuman speed and leapt right at Julian._

_The last thought in his before his pursuer slit his throat open was that the man had Tiyo Selong's face._

**Friday, 04-01-16, 4:30 PM, Angeles City Proper**

Julian was stoked. It was the first time that he would have be having a proper date with Tina and he was feeling his stomach flutter madly. She was beautiful as always, her hair now dyed a darker shade of violet. She smiled as he took her hand, leading her through the winding weekend crowd that filled the cobblestone sidewalk of the _Cabalenan_ , the heart of the city.

They were just about to veer into a pizzeria when he felt the hair on the back of his neck prickling. He stopped walking, eyes flitting around anxiously as he tightened his hold on Tina's hand.

"May problema ba?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hindi ko pa alam," he admitted.

That was when he spotted the doppleganger that was watching them. It was Aguinaldo's, and he was standing across the street from them, right in front of a popular bookstore.

The creature's inhuman eyes were locked on him, his teeth bared in a snarl. Julian found it tempting to haul himself all the way across the street and deliver a smackdown, but he had to keep his cool.

Tina was following his gaze. "Anino ba yan?"

"Oo." Julian began to pull her back toward the church area and his car when the doppleganger began to cross the street.

"Mukhang ayos na ako kung magpadeliver nalang tayo ng fried chicken sa bahay niyo," she mused airily, though she was probably as terrified as he was.

He nodded as they picked up the pace. He wouldn't have minded being in a fight but they were in a public place - Tina's violet hair and his green hoodie would have stuck to people's heads.

Of course, the decision wasn't for him to make.

A faint whooshing sound was all he got for a warning before the doppleganger leapt at him. The two of them went sprawling on the sidewalk and before Julian knew it, the doppleganger landed a powerful punch in his gut.

He barely managed to throw the doppleganger off when he heard a loud shout. Tina had pulled his enemy away by the hair and flipped him into the pavement. A small crowd was gathering around them curiously already, and Julian knew that they had to get out. Before the doppleganger could get up, he grabbed Tina's hand and sprinted to the parking lot across the street.

He barely got the engine started when he heard a loud thud on the back. The doppleganger leapt onto the back of their car and was trying to break the glass window.

"Babe, nakaseatbelt ka na ba? Kapit kang mabuti." Julian revved up his engine and shot out of the parking lot in full speed.

"Wag ako, Hulyano!" Tina squealed.

Julian growled as he realized that he hadn't thrown off the doppleganger. _Desperate times call for desperate measures_. He opened his dashboard compartment and took out a small fountain firework.

He pinned it between his legs as sped around a difficult corner, hoping to throw off the doppleganger. Failing with that, he slowly opened his window. He could feel Tina's questioning look but disregarded it for the moment. Slowly taking out a matchstick that he stashed under his seat, he lit the fountain and flung it at the doppleganger.

As if on instinct, the creature grabbed it just as it went off, sending fiery sparks at it face. That was enough to send it tumbling down the car, to Julian's relief.

"Dios mio, ang reckless mo talaga!" Tina growled. "Bakit may dala kang ganun?"

He supposed she was going to find out about his affinity with pyrotechnics soon, anyway. "Madaming pagawaan ng paputok sa Bulacan." He smiled. "Baka biglang kailanganin eh."

**Friday, 04-01-16, 6:00 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo**

The past few days were definitely more action packed than Julio was accustomed to, but he didn't really resent these recent events. Not everything about it was that bad, after all.

It was a lovely Friday, anyway, and the rest of the team was surprisingly kind about the fact that he brought his new girlfriend home for dinner. Cat and Jay were gracious enough to take Margarita around on a tour of the house, leaving Julio alone with the rest of the team and his thoughts.

That was when the gate opened and Julian drove in. That was odd - his brother was supposed to be out on a date.

An odd feeling of dread settled in his gut when his frazzled brother stepped in, accompanied by a worried Tina. His alarm went through the roof when he noticed that his brother was sporting a bruised cheek.

"Anong nangyari?" he blurted out, catching everyone's attention. "Nakipagaway ka ba?"

"Sa anino ni Aguinaldo, oo." Julian sat down on his favorite spot by the center table.

Upon gathering the rest of the team, he told them all about his encounter with the doppleganger in the city proper itself and disabling it with the help of pyrotechnics. Julio was supposed to be amazed, but all he felt was horror.

"Sa tingin mo ba rumeresbak sa atin yung anino?" he asked.

"Hindi." It was Tina who spoke up. "Sa tingin ko hinahanap niya yung last project ko noon."

"Yung last project mo?" Vince leaned forward from his perch near Rusca's computer. "Diba yun yung galing sa Bulacan?"

Julio nodded grimly, remembering the fact that the doppleganger tried to steal the package there, too. The daggers were going to play an important part in Dolores' downfall, he could feel it.

"Nasaan na nga ba si Tito Selong?" he asked. "Sigurado akong siya yung makakasagot kung bakit hinahanap ni Dolores yung project na yan eh."

"Either way, itutuloy ko yung project na ito." Tina smiled fiercely. "Kahit wala pang paliwanag."

Julio was sure that she meant it. He exchanged glances with Margarita, who smiled at him sweetly. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Sana di ka pa natuturn off," he joked.

"Impossible." She grinned at him and shook her head. "Ikaw nga dapat yung maturn off sa kaweirdohan ko eh."

He couldn't help but mirror her smile. "Impossible."

She chuckled gently and brushed some stray strands of hair away from his face. "Ang badass niyo nga eh. Sobrang attractive yan, alam mo ba yun?"

He smiled. "Sila ang badass."

"Ikaw din naman, wag ka ngang pabebe!" She pinched his cheek so hard, it was sure to leave a red mark.

"Paano ako magiging pabebe kung di naman ata tumatalab sayo?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her laughter intensified. "Good point." She let him hug her waist and pull her close. "Pero masaya naman ako sa ganito,  _future husband._ Ikaw ba?"

"Masayang masaya." And he meant it.

**Friday, 04-01-16, 9:00 PM, Holy Angel Village**

Julian drove Tina home that night, afraid that Aguinaldo's doppleganger might be lying in wait for her. After all, Angela was off visiting their mother and their father was on some sort of business trip again. He knew that she was probably better at defending herself but he couldn't help but worry.

She took out one of the swords that she regularly disguised as an escrima stick as they stalked into the empty house. Julian stood beside her, armed with a knife that he borrowed from Jay. They crept through the entire area, tense as a drawn bowstring until they managed to scour every nook and cranny. He couldn't breathe easily until they were sure that nothing was out of place.

They found themselves in Tina's room once all was said and done.

"Sigurado kang hindi ka nila hahanapin sainyo kung sasamahan mo ako dito ngayon?" she asked as she shut the door behind him. A coy smile played on her lips as he set down his backpack by the door.

 _"Ali naman. Balu dang maniguradu kung ali ka mipakarok." Hindi naman. Alam nilang naninigurado akong di ka mapapahamak._ He could feel goosebumps trailing his arms as he placed his hoodie on top of his bag.

She yowled softly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Tayo lang dalawa dito. Baka kung anong isipin ng mga kapitbahay."

"Hayaan mo sila. Tayo lang yung may alam ng talagang nangyayari dito." He smiled as he trailed kisses along her face, down her neck. "Hayaan mo silang humusga."

They could go on and on all night, and he wouldn't care what others said.

**Friday, 04-01-16, 9:00 PM, Brgy. Manibaug**

Julio found himself driving Margarita home after dinner. The house was still empty as the cousins living with her were all enjoying the lovely friday night.

"Bakit di ka muna pumasok?" she asked as she watched him stand awkwardly by the entrance to her room.

He felt himself blushing as he realized the interruption that happened the last time that he had been there. "Gusto mo bang... intuloy yung... ano..."

"Bakit hindi?" Her eyes sparkled with mirth as she pulled him into the room, let him kiss her silly. "Parang nabitin ata tayo last time."

He let out a small groan as she pushed him to the bed with surprising strength and agility, let her kiss him back. _Kung mahuhulog ka na lang din sa kawalan, bakit di mo pa gawin all out?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pasensya na, uhaw ang manang niyo. Next up: fic ni Nonong, tentative title is


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